Стража! Стража!

           "I’mconsideringoneortwooffers."

           "Well,ofcourse.I’msureyouknowbest."

           Vimesnodded.

           LadyRamkintwistedherhandkerchiefroundandroundinherhands.

           "Well,then,"shesaid.

           "Well,"saidVimes.

           "I,er,expectyou’llbewantingtobeoff,then."

           "Yes,IexpectIhadbetterbegoing."

           Therewasapause.Thentheybothspokeatonce.

           "It’sbeenvery-"

           "I’djustliketosay-"

           "Sorry."

           "Sorry."

           "No,youwerespeaking."

           "No,sorry,youweresaying?"

           "Oh."Vimeshesitated."I’llbeoff,then."

           "Oh.Yes."LadyRamkingavehimawashed-outsmile."Can’tkeepalltheseofferswaiting,canyou,"shesaid.

           Shethrustoutahand.Vimesshookitcarefully.

           "SoI’lljustbegoing,then,"hesaid.

           "Docallagain,"saidLadyRamkin,morecoldly,"ifyouareeverinthisarea.Andsoon.I’msureErrolwouldliketoseeyou."

           "Yes.Well.Goodbye,then."

           "Goodbye,CaptainVimes."

           Hestumbledoutofthedoorandwalkedhurriedlydownthedark,overgrownpath.Hecouldfeelhergazeonthebackofhisneckashedidsoor,atleast,hetoldhimselfthathecould.She’dbestandinginthedoorway,nearlyblockingoutthelight.Justwatchingme.ButI’mnotgoingtolookback,hethought.Thatwouldbeareallysillythingtodo.Imean,she’salovelyperson,she’sgotalotofcommonsenseandanenormouspersonality,butreally...

           I’mnotgoingtolookback,evenifshestandstherewhileIwalkallthewaydownthestreet.Sometimesyouhavetobecrueltobekind.