Стража! Стража!

           Andeventually,undersiege,youdidwhatAnkh-Morporkhadalwaysdone-unbarthegates,lettheconquerorsin,andmakethemyourown.

           Howdidyoustart?Sheseemedtobeexpectingsomething.

           Heshrugged,andpickeduphiswineglassandsoughtforaphrase.Onecreptintohiswildlyresonatingmind.

           "Here’slookingatyou,kid,"hesaid.

           Thegongsofvariousmidnightsbangedouttheoldday.

           (...andfurthertowardstheHub,wheretheRam-topMountainsjoinedtheforbiddingspiresofthecentralmassif,wherestrangehairycreaturesroamedtheeternalsnows,whereblizzardshowledaroundthefreezingpeaks,thelightsofalonelamaseryshoneoutoverthehighvalleys.Inthecourtyardacoupleofyellow-robedmonksstackedthelastcaseofsmallgreenbottlesontoasleigh,readyforthefirstlegoftheincrediblydifficultjourneydowntothedistantplains.Theboxwaslabelled,incarefulbrush-strokes,"Mstr.C.M.O.T.Dibbler,Ankh-Morpork."

           "Youknow,Lobsang,"saidoneofthem,"onecannothelpwonderingwhatitishedoeswiththisstuff.")

           CorporalNobbsandSergeantColonloungedintheshadowsneartheMendedDrum,butstraightenedupasCarrotcameoutbearingatray.Detritusthetrollsteppedasiderespectfully.

           "Hereweare,lads,"saidCarrot."Threepints.Onthehouse."

           "Bloodyhell,Ineverthoughtyou’ddoit,"saidColon,graspingahandle.