Стража! Стража!

           I’mafraidpoorWonsewasagoodservantbutaninefficientmaster.Soyoumaygo.Haveagoodnight’ssleep.Oh,anddobringyourmenintomorrow.Thecitymustshowitsgratitude."

           "Itmustwhat?"saidVimes.

           ThePatricianlookedatascroll.Alreadyhisvoicewasbacktothedistanttonesofonewhoorganisesandplansandcontrols.

           "Itsgratitude,"hesaid."Aftereverytriumphantvictorytheremustbeheroes.Itisessential.Theneveryonewillknowthateverythinghasbeendoneproperly."

           HeglancedatVimesoverthetopofthescroll.

           "It’sallpartofthenaturalorderofthings,"hesaid.

           Afterawhilehemadeafewpencilannotationstothepaperinfrontofhimandlookedup.

           "Isaid,"hesaid,"thatyoumaygo."

           Vimespausedatthedoor.

           "Doyoubelieveallthat,sir?"hesaid."Abouttheendlessevilandthesheerblackness?"

           "Indeed,indeed,"saidthePatrician,turningoverthepage."Itistheonlylogicalconclusion."

           "Butyougetoutofbedeverymorning,sir?"

           "Hmm?Yes?Whatisyourpoint?"

           "I’djustliketoknowwhy,sir."

           "Oh,dogoaway,Vimes.There’sagoodfellow."

           InthedarkanddraughtycavehackedfromtheheartofthepalacetheLibrarianknuckledacrossthefloor.HeclamberedovertheremainsofthesadhoardandlookeddownatthesplayedbodyofWonse.

           Thenhereacheddown,verygently,andprisedTheSummoningofDragonsfromthestiffeningfingers.Heblewthedustoffit.Hebrushedittenderly,asifitwasafrightenedchild.