Стража! Стража!

           "Killedbyawossname.Ametaphor."

           "Dunno,"saidNobby."Lookslikethegroundtome.Gotalight,Sarge?"

           "Thatwasright,wasn’tit,sir?"saidCarrotanxiously."Yousaidto-"

           "Yes,yes,"saidVimes."Don’tworry."Hereacheddownwithashakinghand,pickedupthebagWonsehadbeenholding,andtippedoutapileofstones.Everyonehadaholeinit.Why?hethought.

           Ametallicnoisebehindhimmadehimlookaround.ThePatricianwasholdingtheremainsoftheroyalsword.Asthecaptainwatched,themanwrenchedtheotherhalfoftheswordoutofthefarwall.Itwasacleanbreak.

           "CaptainVimes,"hesaid.

           "Sir?"

           "Thatsword,ifyouplease?"

           Vimeshandeditover.Hecouldn’t,rightnow,thinkofanythingelsetodo.Hewasprobablydueforascorpionpitofhisveryownasitwas.

           LordVetinariexaminedtherustybladecarefully.

           "Howlonghaveyouhadthis,Captain?"hesaidmildly.

           "Isn’tmine,sir.BelongstoLance-constableCarrot,sir."

           "Lance-?"

           "Me,sir,yourgraciousness,"saidCarrot,saluting.

           "Ah."

           ThePatricianturnedthebladeoverandoverslowly,staringatitasiffascinated.Vimesfelttheairthicken,asthoughhistorywasclusteringaroundthispoint,butforthelifeofhimhecouldn’tthinkwhy.ThiswasoneofthosepointswheretheTrousersofTimebifurcatedthemselves,andifyouweren’tcarefulyou’dgodownthewrongleg-

           Wonsearoseinaworldofshades,icyconfusionpouringintohismind.