Стража! Стража!

           Itwasoneofthepopulardreadportalvariety,allbarsandboltsandironspikesandmassivehinges.Nomatterhowlonghelookedatit,itdidn’tbecomeanylessmassive.Thelockwasoneofthosedwarfish-madebuggersthatit’dtakeyearstopick.Allinall,ifyouhadtohaveasymbolforsomethingtotallyimmovable,thatdoorwasyourman.ThePatricianappearedalongsidehiminheart-stoppingsilence.

           "Yousee,"hesaid,"it’salwaysthecase,isitnot,thatshouldacitybeovertakenbyviolentcivilunrestthecurrentruleristhrownintothedungeons?Toacertaintypeofmindthatissomuchmoresatisfyingthanmereexecution."

           "Well,okay,butIdon’tsee-"Vimesbegan."Andyoulookatthisdoorandwhatyouseeisareallystrongcelldoor,yes?"

           "Ofcourse.You’veonlygottolookattheboltsand-"

           "Youknow,I’mreallyratherpleased,"saidLordVetinariquietly.

           Vimesstaredatthedooruntilhiseyebrowsached.Andthen,justasrandompatternsincloudsuddenly,withoutchanginginanyway,becomeahorse’sheadorasailingship,hesawwhathe’dbeenlookingatallalong.

           Asenseofterrifyingadmirationovercamehim.HewonderedwhatitwaslikeinthePatrician’smind.Allcoldandshiny,hethought,allbluedsteelandiciclesandlittlewheelsclickingalonglikeahugeclock.Thekindofmindthatwouldcarefullyconsideritsowndownfallandturnittoadvantage.

           Itwasaperfectlynormaldungeondoor,butitalldependedonyoursenseofperspective.