Стража! Стража!

           FABRICATIDIEM,PVNC

           Ittranslated-accordingtoSergeantColon,whohadservedinforeignpartsandconsideredhimselfanexpertonlanguages-as’ToProtectandtoServe’.

           Yes.Beingaguardmusthavemeantsomething,once.

           SergeantColon,hethought,ashestumbledintothemustygloom.Nowtherewasamanwholikedthedark.SergeantColonowedthirtyyearsofhappymarriagetothefactthatMrsColonworkedalldayandSergeantColonworkedallnight.Theycommunicatedbymeansofnotes.Hegotherteareadybeforeheleftatnight,shelefthisbreakfastniceandhotintheoveninthemornings.Theyhadthreegrown-upchildren,allborn,Vimeshadassumed,asaresultofextremelypersuasivehandwriting.

           AndCorporalNobbs...well,anyonelikeNobbyhadunlimitedreasonsfornotwishingtobeseenbyotherpeople.Youdidn’thavetothinkhardaboutthat.Theonlyreasonyoucouldn’tsaythatNobbywasclosetotheanimalkingdomwasthattheanimalkingdomwouldgetupandwalkaway.

           Andthen,ofcourse,therewashimself.Justaskinny,unshavencollectionofbadhabitsmarinatedinalcohol.AndthatwastheNightWatch.Justthethreeofthem.Oncetherehadbeendozens,hundreds.Andnow-justthree.

           Vimesfumbledhiswayupthestairs,gropedhiswayintohisoffice,slumpedintotheprimevalleatherchairwithitsprolapsedstuffing,scrabbledatthebottomdrawer,grabbedbottle,bitcork,tugged,spatoutcork,drank.Beganhisday.

           Theworldswamintofocus.