Стража! Стража!

           "Whatdidyousaytohim?"

           "Ijustexplainedhowitwasthedutyofallgoodcitizenstohelptheguardatalltimes,"saidCarrotinnocently,"andIthankedhimforhisco-operation."

           "Yeah,andtherest,"saidNobby.

           "No,thatwasallIsaid."

           "Thenyoumusthaveareallyconvincingtoneofvoice."

           "Ah.Well,makethemostofit,lads,whileitlasts,"saidColon.

           Theydrankthoughtfully.Itwasamomentofsupremepeace,afewminutessnatchedfromtherealitiesofreallife.Itwasabriefbiteofstolenfruitandenjoyedassuch.No-oneinthewholecityseemedtobefightingorstabbingormakingaffrayand,justfornow,itwaspossibletobelievethatthiswonderfulstateofaffairsmightcontinue.

           Andevenifitdidn’t,thentherewerememoriestogetthemthrough.Ofrunning,andpeoplegettingoutoftheway.Ofthelooksonthefacesofthehorriblepalaceguard.Of,whenallthethievesandheroesandgodshadfailed,ofbeingthere.Ofnearlydoingthingsnearlyright.

           Nobbyshovedthepotonaconvenientwindowsill,stampedsomelifebackintohisfeetandblewonhisfingers.Abrieffumbleinthedarkrecessesofhisearproducedafragmentofcigarette.

           "Whatatime,eh?"saidColoncontentedly,astheflareofamatchilluminatedthethreeofthem.

           Theothersnodded.Yesterdayseemedlikealifetimeago,evennow.Butyoucouldneverforgetsomethinglikethat,nomatterwhoelsedid,nomatterwhathappenedfromnowon.

           "IfIneverseeanybloodykingit’llbetoosoon,"saidNobby.