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！
f dragons； of the mythical age of reptiles and…and here he felt the dragon's genuine astonishment … of some of the less mendable areas of human history； which were most of it。 And after the astonishment came the baffled anger。 There was practically nothing the dragon could do to people that they had not； sooner or later； tried on one another； often with enthusiasm。
You have the effrontery to be squeamish； it thought at him。 But we were dragons。 We were supposed to be cruel； cunning； heartless and terrible。 But this much I can tell you； you ape…the great face pressed even closer； so that Wonse was staring into the pitiless depths of its eyes…we never burned and tortured and ripped one another apart and called it morality。
The dragon stretched its wings again； once or twice； and then dropped heavily on to the tawdry assortment of mildly precious things。 Its claws scrabbled at the pile。 It sneered。
A three…legged lizard wouldn't hoard this lot； it thought。
〃There will be better things；〃 whispered Wonse； temporarily relieved at the change in direction。 There had better be。
〃Can I…〃 Wonse hesitated…〃can I ask you a question？〃
Ask。
〃You don't need to eat people； surely？ I think that's the only problem from people's point of view； you see；〃 he added； his voice speeding up to a gabble。 〃The treasure and everything； that doesn't have to be a problem； but if it's just a matter of； well； protein； then perhaps it has occurred to a powerful intellect such as your own that something less controversial； like a cow； might。。。〃
The dragon breathed a horizontal streak of fire that calcined the opposite wall。
Need？ Need？ it roared； when the sound had died away。 You talk to me of need？ Isn 't it the tradition that the finest flower of womanhood should be sent to the dragon to ensure peace and prosperity ？
〃But； you see； we have always been moderately peaceful and reasonably prosperous。。。〃
DO YOU WANT THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS TO CONTINUE？
The force of the thought drove Wonse to his knees。
〃Of course；〃 he managed。
The dragon stretched its claws luxuriantly。
Then the need is not mine； it is yours； it thought。 Now get out of my sight。
Wonse sagged as it left his mind。
The dragon slithered over the cut…price hoard； leapt up on to the ledge of one of the hall's big windows； and smashed the stained glass with its head。 The multicoloured image of a city father cascaded into the other debris below。
The long neck stretched out into the early evening air； and turned like a seeking needle。 Lights were ing on across the city。 The sound of a million people being alive made a muted； deep thrumming。
The dragon breathed deeply； joyfully。
Then it hauled the rest of its body on to the ledge； shouldered the remains of the window's frame aside； and leapt into the sky。
。。。
〃What is it？〃 said Nobby。
It was vaguely round； of a woodish texture； and when struck made a noise like a ruler plucked over the edge of a desk。
Sergeant Colon tapped it again。
〃I give in；〃 he said。
Carrot proudly lifted it out of the battered packaging。
〃It's a cake；〃 he said； shoving both hands under the thing and raising it with some difficulty。 〃From my mother。〃 He managed to put it on the table without trapping his fingers。
〃Can you eat it？〃 said Nobby。 〃It's taken months to get here。 You'd think it would go stale。〃
〃Oh； it's to a special dwarfish recipe；〃 said Carrot。 〃Dwarfish cakes don't go stale。〃
Sergeant Colon gave it another sharp rap。 〃I suppose not；〃 he conceded。
〃It's incredibly sustaining；〃 said Carrot。 〃Practically magical。 The secret has been handed down from dwarf to dwarf for centuries。 One tiny piece of this and you won't want anything to eat all day。〃
〃Get away？〃 said Colon。
〃A dwarf can go hundreds of miles with a cake like this in his pack；〃 Carrot went on。
〃I bet he can；〃 said Colon gloomily； 〃I bet all the time he'd be thinking； 'Bloody hell； I hope I can find something else to eat soon； otherwise it's the bloody cake again。' 〃
Carrot； to whom the word irony meant something to do with metal； picked up his pike and after a couple of impressive rebounds managed to cut the cake into approximately four slices。
〃There we are；〃 he said cheerfully。 〃One for each of us； and one for the captain。〃 He realized what he had said。 〃Oh。 Sorry。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Colon flatly。
They sat in silence for a moment。
〃I liked him；〃 said Carrot。 〃I'm sorry he's gone。〃
There was some more silence； very similar to the earlier silence but even deeper and more furrowed with depression。
〃I expect you'll be made captain now；〃 said Carrot。
Colon started。 〃Me？ I don't want to be captain！ I can't do the thinking。 It's not worth all that thinking； just for another nine dollars a month。〃
He drummed his fingers on the table。
〃Is that all he got？〃 said Nobby。 〃I thought officers were rolling in it。〃
〃Nine dollars a month；〃 said Colon。 〃I saw the pay scales once。 Nine dollars a month to add and two dollars plumes allowance。 Only he never claimed that bit。 Funny； really。〃
〃He wasn't the plumes type；〃 said Nobby。
〃You're right；〃 said Colon。 〃The thing about the captain； see； I read this book once 。 。 。 you know we've all got alcohol in our bodies 。 。 。 sort of natural alcohol？ Even if you never touch a drop in your life； your body sort of makes it anyway 。。。 but Captain Vimes； see； he's one of those people whose body doesn't do it naturally。 Like； he was born two drinks below normal。〃
〃Gosh；〃 said Carrot。
〃Yes 。。。 so； when he's sober； he's really sober。 Knurd； they call it。 You know how you feel when you wake up if you've been on the piss all night； Nobby？ Well； he feels like that all the time。 〃
〃Poor bugger；〃 said Nobby。 〃I never realized。 No wonder he's always so gloomy。〃
〃So he's always trying to catch up； see。 It's just that he doesn't always get the dose right。 And； of course；〃 Colon glanced at Carrot； 'he was brung low by a woman。 Mind you； just about anything brings him low。〃
〃So what do we do now； Sergeant？〃 said Nobby。
〃And do you think he'd mind if we eat his cake？〃 said Carrot wistfully。 〃It'd be a shame to let it go stale。〃
Colon shrugged。
The older men sat in miserable silence as Carrot macerated his way through the cake like a bucket…wheel rockcrusher in a chalk pit。 Even if it had been the lightest of souffles they wouldn't have had any appetite。
They were contemplating life without the captain。 It was going to be bleak； even without dragons。 Say what you liked about Captain Vimes； he'd had style。 It was a cynical； black…nailed style； but he'd had it and they didn't。 He could read long words and add up。 Even that was style； of a sort。 He even got drunk in style。
They'd been trying to drag the minutes out； trying to stretch out the time。 But the night had e。
There was no hope for them。
They were going to have to go out on the streets。
It was six of the clock。 And all wasn't well。
〃I miss Errol； too；〃 said Carrot
〃He was the captain's； really；〃 said Nobby。 〃Anyway； Lady Ramkin'll know how to look after him。〃
〃It's not as though we could leave anything around； either；〃 said Colon。 〃I mean； even the lamp oil。 He even dr