Стража! Стража!

           Itwascalled:TheLawsAndOrdinancesofTheCitiesofAnkhAndMorpork.

           "Thisbelongedtomygreat-grandadaswell,"hesaid."ThisiswhattheWatchhastoknow.Youhavetoknowallthelaws,"hesaidvirtuously,"tobeagoodofficer.’’

           PerhapsVarneshishouldhaverecalledthat,inthewholeofCarrot’slife,no-onehadeverreallyliedtohimorgivenhimaninstructionthathewasn’tmeanttotakequiteliterally.Carrotsolemnlytookthebook.Itwouldneverhaveoccurredtohim,ifhewasgoingtobeanofficeroftheWatch,tobelessthanagoodone.

           Itwasafivehundredmilejourneyand,surprisingly,quiteuneventful.Peoplewhoarerathermorethansixfeettallandnearlyasbroadacrosstheshouldersoftenhaveuneventfuljourneys.Peoplejumpoutatthemfrombehindrocksthensaythingslike,"Oh.Sorry.Ithoughtyouweresomeoneelse."

           He’dspentmostofthejourneyreading.

           AndnowAnkh-Morporkwasbeforehim.

           Itwasalittledisappointing.He’dexpectedhighwhitetowersrearingoverthelandscape,andflags.Ankh-Morporkdidn’trear.Rather,itsortofskulked,clingingtothesoilasifafraidsomeonemightstealit.Therewerenoflags.

           Therewasaguardonthegate.Atleast,hewaswearingchainmailandthethinghewasproppedupagainstwasaspear.Hehadtobeaguard.

           Carrotsalutedhimandpresentedtheletter.Themanlookedatitforsometime.