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rched beyond the point of legibility； though。
Not that the last few unburned pages were very easy to read。 The author's hand had been shaking； he'd been writing fast； and he'd blotted a lot。 But the Librarian had wrestled with many a terrifying text in some of the worst books ever bound； words that tried to read you as you read them； words that writhed on the page。 At least these weren't words like that。 These were just the words of a man frightened for his life。 A man writing a dreadful warning。
It was a page a little back from the burned section that drew the Librarian's eye。 He sat and stared at it for some time。
Then he stared at the darkness。
It was his darkness。 He was asleep out there somewhere。 Somewhere out there a thief was heading for this place； to steal this book。 And then someone would read this book； read these words； and do it anyway。
His hands itched。
All he had to do was hide the book； or drop on to the thief's head and unscrew it by the ears。
He stared into the darkness again 。 。 。
But that would be interfering with the course of history。 Horrible things could happen。 The Librarian knew all about this sort of thing； it was part of what you had to know before you were allowed into L…space。 He'd seen pictures in ancient books。 Time could bifurcate； like a pair of trousers。 You could end up in the wrong leg； living a life that was actually happening in the other leg； talking to people who weren't in your leg； walking into walls that weren't there any more。 Life could be horrible in the wrong trouser of Time。
Besides； it was against Library rules。＇18＇ The assembled Librarians of Time and Space would certainly have something to say about it if he started to tinker with causality。
He closed the book carefully and tucked it back into the shelf。 Then he swung gently from bookcase to bookcase until he reached the doorway。 For a moment he stopped and looked down at his own sleeping body。 Perhaps he wondered； briefly； whether to wake himself up； have a little chat； tell himself that he had friends and not to worry。 If so； he must have decided against it。 You could get yourself into a lot of trouble that way。
Instead he slipped out of the door； and lurked in the shadows； and followed the hooded thief when it came out clutching the book； and waited near the dread portal in the rain until the Elucidated Brethren had met and； when the last one left； followed him to his home； and murmured to himself in anthropoid surprise 。 。 。
And then ran back to his Library and the treacherous pathways of L…space。
。。。
By mid…morning the streets were packed； Vimes had docked Nobby a day's salary for waving a flag； and an air of barbed gloom settled over the Yard； like a big black cloud with occasional flashes of lightning in it。
〃Get up in a high place； 〃 muttered Nobby。 〃That's all very well to say。〃
〃I was looking forward to lining the streets；〃 said Colon。 〃I'd have got a good view。〃
〃You were going on about privilege and the rights of man the other night；〃 said Nobby accusingly。
〃Yes； well； one of the privileges and rights of this man is getting a good view；〃 said the sergeant。 〃That's all I'm saying。〃
〃I've never seen the captain in such a filthy temper；〃 said Nobby。 〃I liked it better when he was on the drink。 I reckon he's。。。〃
〃You know； I think Errol is really ill；〃 said Carrot。
They turned towards the fruit basket。
〃He's very hot。 And his skin looks all shiny。〃
〃What's the right temperature for a dragon？〃 said Colon。
〃Yeah。 How do you take it？〃 said Nobby。
〃I think we ought to ask Lady Ramkin to have a look at him；〃 said Carrot。 〃She knows about these things。〃
〃No； she'll be getting ready for the coronation。 We shouldn't go disturbing her；〃 said Colon。 He stretched out his hand to Errol's quivering flanks。 〃I used to have a dog that … arrgh！ That's not hot； that's boiling！〃
〃I've offered him lots of water and he just won't touch it。 What are you doing with that kettle； Nobby？〃
Nobby looked innocent。 〃Well； I thought we might as well make a cup of tea before we go out。 It's a shame to waste。。。〃
〃Take it off him！〃
。。。
Noon came。 The fog didn't lift but it did thin a bit； to allow a pale yellow haze where the sun should have been。
Although the passage of years had turned the post of Captain of the Watch into something rather shabby； it still meant that Vimes was entitled to a seat at official occasions。 The pecking order had moved it； though； so that now he was in the lowest tier on the rickety bleachers between the Master of the Fellowship of Beggars and the head of the Teachers' Guild。 He didn't mind that。 Anything was better than the top row； among the Assassins； Thieves； Merchants and all the other things that had floated to the top of society。 He never knew what to talk about。 Anyway； the teacher was restful pany since he didn't do much but clench and unclench his hands occasionally； and whimper。
〃Something wrong with your neck； Captain？〃 said the chief beggar politely； as they waited for the coaches。
〃What？〃 said Vimes distractedly。
〃You keep on staring upwards；〃 said the beggar。
〃Hmm？ Oh。 No。 Nothing wrong；〃 said Vimes。
The beggar wrapped his velvet cloak around him。
〃You couldn't by any chance spare。。。；〃 he paused； calculating a sum in accordance with his station； 〃。。。about three hundred dollars for a twelve…course civic banquet； could you？〃
〃No。〃
〃Fair enough。 Fair enough；〃 said the chief beggar amiably。 He sighed。 It wasn't a rewarding job； being chief beggar。 It was the differentials that did for you。 Low…grade beggars made a reasonable enough living on pennies； but people tended to look the other way when you asked them for a sixteen…bedroom mansion for the night。
Vimes resumed his study of the sky。
Up on the dais the High Priest of Blind Io； who last night by dint of elaborate ecumenical argument and eventually by a club with nails in it had won the right to crown the king； fussed over his preparations。 By the small portable sacrificial altar a tethered billy goat was peacefully chewing the cud and possibly thinking； in Goat： What a lucky billy goat I am； to be given such a good view of the proceedings。 This is going to be something to tell the kids。
Vimes scanned the diffused outlines of the nearest buildings。
A distant cheering suggested that the ceremonial procession was on its way。
There was a scuffle of activity around the dais as Lupine Wonse chivvied a scramble of servants who rolled a purple carpet down the steps。
Across the square； amongst the ranks of Ankh…Morpork's faded aristocracy； Lady Ramkin's face tilted upwards。
Around the throne； which had been hastily created out of wood and gold foil； a number of lesser priests； some of them with slight head wounds； shuffled into position。
Vimes shifted in his seat； aware of the sound of his own heartbeat； and glared at the haze over the river。
。 。 。 and saw the wings。
。。。
Dear Mother and Father ＇wrote Carrot； in between staring dutifully into the fog＇ Well； the town is On Fate for the coronation； which is more plicated than at home； and now I am on Day duty as well。 This is a shame because； I w