Стража! Стража!

           "ContrarytosixteenseparateActsinCouncil."

           "Well,yes.Butthatwasjustlike,youknow,thehurly-burlyofthisandthat,"saidColon."Notthatitwasn’tbad,Imean,butpeoplesortofparticipating,justhandingoversomeslipofagirlandstandingroundwatchingasifit’sallproperandlegal,that’smuchworse."

           "Ireckonitalldependsonyourpointofview,"saidNobbythoughtfully.

           "Whatd’youmean?"

           "Well,fromthepointofviewofsomeonebeingburnedalive,itprobablydoesn’tmattermuch,"saidNobbyphilosophically.

           "Peoplewon’tstandforit,Isaid,"saidColon,ignoringthis."You’llsee.They’llmarchonthepalace,andwhatwillthedragondothen,eh?"

           "Burn’emall,"saidNobbypromptly.

           Colonlookedpuzzled."Itwouldn’tdothat,wouldit?"hesaid.

           "Don’tseewhat’stopreventit,doyou?"saidNobby.Heglancedoutofthedoorway."Hewasagoodlad,thatboy.Usedtorunerrandsformygrandad.Who’dhavethoughthe’dgoaroundwithadragononhischest..."

           "Whatarewegoingtodo,Sergeant?"saidCarrot.

           "Idon’twanttobeburnedalive,"saidSergeantColon."Mywife’dgivemehell.SoIsupposewe’vegottowossname,proclaimit.Butdon’tworry,lad,"hesaid,pattingCarrotononemusculararmandrepeating,asifhehadn’tquitebelievedhimselfthefirsttime,"itwon’tcometothat.People’llneverstandforit."

           LadyRamkinranherhandsoverErrol’sbody.

           "DamnedifIknowwhat’sgoingoninthere,"shesaid.