Стража! Стража!

           Wouldyoulikeabeer,Vimes?"

           "What?"saidVimes.

           "Iimagineyouwould.Potluck,though,Iamafraid.Skrp’speoplearebrightenough,buttheyseemtohaveabitofablindspotwhenitcomestolabelsonbottles."

           LordVetinaripattedhisfacewithatowelanddroppeditonthefloor.Agreyshapedartedfromtheshadowsanddraggeditawaydownthefloorgrille.

           Thenhesaid,"Verywell,Skrp.Youmaygo."Therattwitcheditswhiskersathim,leanedthemirroragainstthewall,andtrottedoff.

           "You’rewaitedonbyrats?"saidVimes.

           "Theyhelpout,youknow.They’renotreallyveryefficient,I’mafraid.It’stheirpaws."

           "But,but,but,"saidVimes."Imean,how?"

           "IsuspectSkrp’speoplehavetunnelsthatextendintotheUniversity,"LordVetinariwenton."AlthoughIthinktheywereprobablyprettybrighttostartwith."

           AtleastVimesunderstoodthatbit.ItwaswellknownthatthaumicradiationsaffectedanimalslivingaroundtheUnseenUniversitycampus,sometimesproddingthemtowardsminuteanaloguesofhumancivilisationandevenmutatingsomeofthemintoentirelynewandspecialisedspecies,suchasthe.303bookwormandthewallfish.And,asthemansaid,ratswerequitebrighttostartwith."Butthey’rehelpingyou?"saidVimes."Mutual.It’smutual.Paymentforservicesrendered,youmightsay,"saidthePatrician,sittingdownonwhatVimescouldn’thelpnoticingwasasmallvelvetcushion.Onalowshelf,soastobehandy,wereanotepadandaneatrowofbooks.