Стража! Стража!

           Isitgoingtobe:Iknowwhatthislookslike,orwillitbe:Howdidyougetinhere,ormaybeit’llbe:Listen,Icanexplaineverything.IwishIhadaloadeddragoninmyhandsrightnow.

           Wonsesaid,"Okay.Cleverofyoutoguess."

           Ofcourse,thatwasalwaysanoutsidechance,Vimesadded.

           "Underthefloorboards,"hesaidaloud."Firstplaceanyone’dlook.Ratherfoolish,thatwas."

           "Iknow.Isupposehedidn’tthinkanyonewouldbesearching,"saidWonse,standingupandbrushingthedustoffhimself.

           "I’msorry?"saidVimespleasantly.

           "Vetinari.Youknowhowhewasforschemingandthings.Hewasinvolvedinmostoftheplotsagainsthimself,thatwashowheranthings.Heenjoyedit.Obviouslyhecalleditupandcouldn’tcontrolit.Somethingevenmorecunningthanhewas."

           "Sowhatwereyoudoing?"saidVimes.

           "Iwonderedifitmightbepossibletoreversethespell.Ormaybecallupanotherdragon.They’dfightthen."

           "Asortofbalanceofterror,youmean?"saidVimes.

           "Couldbeworthatry,"saidWonseearnestly.Hetookafewstepscloser."Look,aboutyourjob,Iknowwewerebothabitoverwroughtatthetime,soofcourseifyouwantitbackthere’llbenoprob-"

           "Itmusthavebeenterrible,"saidVimes."Imaginewhatmusthavegonethroughhismind.Hecalleditup,andthenfounditwasn’tjustsomesortoftoolbutarealthingwithamindofitsown.Amindjustlikehis,butwithallthebrakesoff.