按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Captain Vimes's lips moved in hurried calculation。 〃Two feet？〃 he ventured。
〃Well done。 That's the cobbs； of course。 The hens are a bit smaller。〃
Captain Vimes wasn't going to give in。 〃A cobb would be a male dragon？〃 he said。
〃Only after the age of two years；〃 said Lady Ramkin triumphantly。 〃Up to the age of eight months he's a pewmet； then he's a cock until fourteen months； and then he's a snood…〃
Captain Vimes sat entranced； eating the horrible cake； britches gradually dissolving； as the stream of information flooded over him； how the males fought with flame but in the laying season only the hens breathed fire； from the bustion of plex intestinal gases； to incubate the eggs which needed such a fierce temperature； while the males gathered firewood； a group of swamp dragons was a slump or an embarrassment； a female was capable of laying up to three clutches of four eggs every year； most of which were trodden on by absent…minded males； and that only until their third clutch； of course。 After that they're dams。
An that dragons of both sexes were vaguely uninterested in one another； and indeed everything except firewood； except for about once every two months when they became as single…minded as a buzzsaw。
He was helpless to prevent himself being taken out to the kennels at the back； outfitted from neck to ankle in leather armour faced with steel plates； and ushered into the long low building where the whistling had e from。
The temperature was terrible； but not as bad as the cocktail of smells。 He staggered aimlessly from one metal…lined pen to another； while pear…shaped； squeaking little horrors with red eyes were introduced as 〃Moonpenny Duchess Marchpaine； who's gravid at the moment〃 and 〃Moonmist Talonthrust II； who was Best of Breed at Pseudopolis last year〃。 Jets of pale green flame played across his knees。
Many of the stalls had rosettes and certificates pinned over them。
〃And this one； I'm afraid； is Goodboy Bindle Featherstone of Quirm；〃 said Lady Ramkin relentlessly。
Vimes stared groggily over the charred barrier at the small creature curled up in the middle of the floor。 It bore about the same resemblance to the rest of them as Nobby did to the average human being。 Something in its ancestry had given it a pair of eyebrows that were about the same size as its stubby wings； which could never have supported it in the air。 Its head was the wrong shape； like an anteater。 It had nostrils like jet intakes。 If it ever managed to get airborne the things would have the drag of twin parachutes。
It was also turning on Captain Vimes the most silently intelligent look he'd ever had from any animal； including Corporal Nobbs。
〃It happens；〃 said Lady Ramkin sadly。 〃It's all down to genes； you know。〃
〃It is？〃 said Vimes。 Somehow； the creature seemed to be concentrating all the power its siblings wasted in flame and noise into a stare like a thermic lance。 He couldn't help remembering how much he'd wanted a puppy when he was a little boy。 Mind you； they'd been starving … anything with meat on it would have done。
He heard the dragon lady say； 〃One tries to breed for a good flame； depth of scale； correct colour and so on。 One just has to put up with the occasional total whittle。〃
The little dragon turned on Vimes a gaze that would be guaranteed to win it the award for Dragon the Judges would Most Like to Take Home and Use as A Portable Gas Lighter。
Total whittle； Vimes thought。 He wasn't sure of the precise meaning of the word； but he could hazard a shrewd guess。 It sounded like whatever it was you had left when you had extracted everything of any value whatsoever。 Like the Watch； he thought。 Total whittles； every one of them。 And just like him。 It was the saga of his life。
〃That's Nature for you；〃 said her ladyship。 〃Of course I wouldn't dream of breeding from him； but he wouldn't be able to anyway。''
〃Why not？〃 said Vimes。
〃Because dragons have to mate in the air and he'll never be able to fly with those wings； I'm afraid。 I'll be sorry to lose the bloodline； naturally。 His sire was Brenda Rodley's Treebite Brightscale。 Do you know Brenda？〃
〃Er； no；〃 said Vimes。 Lady Ramkin was one of those people who assumed that everyone else knew everyone one knew。
〃Charming gel。 Anyway； his brothers and sisters are shaping up very well。〃
Poor little bastard； thought Vimes。 That's Nature for you in a nutshell。 Always dealing off the bottom of the pack。
No wonder they call her a mother 。 。 。
〃You said you had something to show me；〃 Lady Ramkin prompted。
Vimes wordlessly handed her the parcel。 She slipped off her heavy mittens and unwrapped it。
〃Plaster cast of a footprint；〃 she said； baldly。 〃Well？〃
〃Does it remind you of anything？〃 said Vimes。
〃Could be a wading bird。〃
〃Oh。〃 Vimes was crestfallen。
Lady Ramkin laughed。 〃Or a really big dragon。 Got it out of a museum； did you？〃
〃No。 I got it off the street this morning。〃
〃Ha？ Someone's been playing tricks on you； old chap。〃
〃Er。 There was； er； circumstantial evidence。〃
He told her。 She stared at him。
〃Draco nobilis；〃 she said hoarsely。
〃Pardon？〃 said Vimes。
〃Draco nobilis。 The Noble dragon。 As opposed to these fellows。。。〃 she waved a hand in the direction of the massed ranks of whistling lizards。。。〃Draco vul…garis； the lot of them。 But the big ones are all gone； you know。 This really is a nonsense。 No two ways about it。 All gone。 Beautiful things； they were。 Weighed tons。 Biggest things ever to fly。 No one knows how they did it。〃
And then they realized。
It was suddenly very quiet。
All along the rows of kennels； the dragons were silent； bright…eyed and watchful。 They were staring at the roof。
。。。
Carrot looked around him。 Shelves stretched away in every direction。 On those shelves； books。 He made a calculated guess。
〃This is the Library； isn't it？〃 he said。
The Librarian maintained his gentle but firm grip on the boy's hand and led him along the maze of aisles。
〃Is there a body？〃 said Carrot。 There'd have to be。 Worse than murder！ A body in a library。 It could lead to anything。
The ape eventually padded to a halt in front of a shelf no different than； it seemed； a hundred others。 Some of the books were chained up。 There was a gap。 The Librarian pointed to it。
〃Oook。〃
〃Well； what about it？ A hole where a book should be。〃
〃Oook。〃
〃A book has been taken。 A book has been taken？ You summoned the Watch；〃 Carrot drew himself up proudly； 〃because someone's taken a book？ You think that's worse than murder？〃
The Librarian gave him the kind of look other people would reserve for people who said things like 〃What's so bad about genocide？〃
〃This is practically a criminal offence； wasting Watch time；〃 said Carrot。 〃Why don't you just tell the head wizards； or whoever they are？〃
〃Oook。〃 The Librarian indicated with some surprisingly economical gestures that most wizards would not find their own bottoms with both hands。
〃Well； I don't see what we can do about it；〃 said Carrot。 〃What's the book called？〃
The Librarian scratched his head。 This one was going to be tricky。 He faced Carrot； put his leather…glove hands together； then folded them open。
〃