Стража! Стража!

           "Mm?"hesaid,eventually.

           "IthinkI’vegottoseeLupinSquiggleSec’ypp,"saidCarrot.

           "What’stheppfor?"saidtheguardsuspiciously.

           "CoulditbePrettyPromptly?"saidCarrot,whohadwonderedaboutthishimself.

           "Well,Idon’tknowaboutanySec’y,"saidtheguard."YouwantCaptainVimesoftheNightWatch."

           ’’Andwhereishebased?’’saidCarrot,politely.

           "AtthistimeofdayI’dtryTheBunchofGrapesinEasyStreet,"saidtheguard.HelookedCarrotupanddown."Joiningthewatch,areyou?"

           "Ihopetoproveworthy,yes,"saidCarrot.

           Theguardgavehimwhatcouldlooselybecalledanold-fashionedlook.Itwaspracticallyneolithic.

           "Whatwasityoudone?"hesaid."I’msorry?"saidCarrot."Youmustofdonesomething,"saidtheguard."Myfatherwrotealetter,"saidCarrotproudly."I’vebeenvolunteered.""Bloodyhellfire,"saidtheguard.

           ...

           Nowitwasnightagain,andbeyondthedreadportal:

           "AretheWheelsofTormentdulyspun?"saidtheSupremeGrandMaster.