Стража! Стража!

           Andaftertheastonishmentcamethebaffledanger.Therewaspracticallynothingthedragoncoulddotopeoplethattheyhadnot,soonerorlater,triedononeanother,oftenwithenthusiasm.

           Youhavetheeffronterytobesqueamish,itthoughtathim.Butweweredragons.Weweresupposedtobecruel,cunning,heartlessandterrible.ButthismuchIcantellyou,youape-thegreatfacepressedevencloser,sothatWonsewasstaringintothepitilessdepthsofitseyes-weneverburnedandtorturedandrippedoneanotherapartandcalleditmorality.

           Thedragonstretcheditswingsagain,onceortwice,andthendroppedheavilyontothetawdryassortmentofmildlypreciousthings.Itsclawsscrabbledatthepile.Itsneered.

           Athree-leggedlizardwouldn’thoardthislot,itthought.

           "Therewillbebetterthings,"whisperedWonse,temporarilyrelievedatthechangeindirection.Therehadbetterbe.

           "CanI-"Wonsehesitated-"canIaskyouaquestion?"

           Ask.

           "Youdon’tneedtoeatpeople,surely?Ithinkthat’stheonlyproblemfrompeople’spointofview,yousee,"headded,hisvoicespeedinguptoagabble."Thetreasureandeverything,thatdoesn’thavetobeaproblem,butifit’sjustamatterof,well,protein,thenperhapsithasoccurredtoapowerfulintellectsuchasyourownthatsomethinglesscontroversial,likeacow,might-"

           Thedragonbreathedahorizontalstreakoffirethatcalcinedtheoppositewall.

           Need?Need?itroared,whenthesoundhaddiedaway.