Стража! Стража!

           Butallhecouldthinkofatthemomentwasthetallcowledfigurestandingoverhim.

           "Ithoughtyouwerealldead,"hemumbled.Itwasstrangelyquietandthecoloursaroundhimseemedwashed-out,muted.Somethingwasverywrong."Isthatyou,BrotherDoorkeeper?"heventured.

           Thefigurereachedout.

           METAPHORICALLY,itsaid.

           -andthePatricianhandedtheswordtoCarrot.

           "Verywelldone,youngman,"hesaid."CaptainVimes,Isuggestyougiveyourmentherestofthedayoff."

           "Thankyou,sir,"saidVimes."Okay,lads.Youheardhislordship."

           "Butnotyou,Captain.Wemusthavealittletalk."

           "Yes,sir?"saidVimesinnocently.

           Therankscurriedout,givingVimessympatheticandsorrowfulglances.

           ThePatricianwalkedtotheedgeofthefloorandlookeddown.

           "PoorWonse,"hesaid.

           "Yes,sir."Vimesstaredatthewall.

           "Iwouldhavepreferredhimalive,youknow."

           "Sir?"

           "Misguided,yes,butausefulman.Hisheadcouldhavebeenoffurtherusetome."

           "Yes,sir."

           "Therest,ofcourse,wecouldhavethrownaway."

           "Yes,sir."

           "Thatwasajoke,Vimes."

           "Yes,sir."

           "Thechapnevergraspedtheideaofsecretpassages,mindyou."

           "No,sir."

           "Thatyoungfellow.Carrot,youcalledhim?"

           "Yes,sir."

           "Keenfellow.LikesitintheWatch?"

           "Yes,sir.Rightathome,sir."

           "Yousavedmylife."

           "Sir?"

           "Comewithme."

           Hestalkedawaythroughtheruinedpalace,Vimestrailingbehind,untilhereachedtheOblongOffice.Itwasquitetidy.