Стража! Стража!

           Still,ifitwasn’tactuallysignedbythePatricianthenithadcertainlybeenwrittenbysomeonewhoworkedforhim.Orinthesamebuilding.ProbablythePatricianhadatleastknownabouttheletter.Ingeneralterms.Notthisletter,perhaps,butprobablyheknewabouttheexistenceoflettersingeneral.

           Carrotwalkedsteadfastlydownthemountainpaths,disturbingcloudsofbumblebees.Afterawhileheunsheathedtheswordandmadeexperimentalstabsatfelonioustreestumpsandunlawfulassembliesofstingingnettles.

           Varneshiwassittingoutsidehishut,threadingdriedmushroomsonastring.

           "Hallo,Carrot,"hesaid,leadingthewayinside."Lookingforwardtothecity?"

           Carrotgavethisdueconsideration.

           "No,"hesaid.

           "Havingsecondthoughts,areyou?"

           "No.Iwasjustwalkingalong,"saidCarrothonestly."Iwasn’tthinkingaboutanythingmuch."

           "Yourdadgiveyouthesword,didhe?"saidVarneshi,rummagingonafetidshelf.

           "Yes.Andawoollyvesttoprotectmeagainstchills."

           "Ah.Yes,itcanbeverydampdownthere,soI’veheard.Protection.Veryimportant."Heturnedaroundandadded,dramatically,"Thisbelongedtomygreat-grandfather."