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〃Well； you might just get it back。 Anyway； you know all about voonerables。 I've watched you fight。〃
Carrot saluted smartly。 〃Permission to volunteer； sir；〃 he said。 〃And I only get twenty dollars a month training pay and I don't mind at all； sir。〃
Sergeant Colon cleared his throat。 Then he straightened the hang of his breastplate。 It was one of those with astonishingly impressive pectoral muscles embossed upon it。 His chest and stomach fitted into it in the same way that jelly fits into a mould。
What would Captain Vimes do now？ Well； he'd have a drink。 But if he didn't have a drink； what would he do？
〃What we need；〃 he said slowly； 〃is a Plan。〃
That sounded good。 That sentence alone sounded worth the pay。 If you had a Plan； you were halfway there。
And already he thought he could hear the cheering of crowds。 They were lining the streets； and they were throwing flowers； and he was being carried triumphantly through the grateful city。
The drawback was； he suspected； that he was being carried in an urn。
。。。
Lupine Wonse padded along the draughty corridors to the Patrician's bedroom。 It had never been a sumptuous apartment at best； and contained little more than a narrow bed and a few battered cupboards。 It looked even worse now； with one wall gone。 Sleepwalk at night now and you could step right into the vast cavern that was the Great Hall。
Even so； he shut the door behind him for a semblance of privacy。 Then； cautiously and with many nervous glances at the great space beyond； he knelt down in the centre of the floor and pried up a board。
A long black robe was dragged into view。 Then Wonse reached further down into the dusty space between the floors and rummaged around。 He rummaged still further。 Then he lay down and stuck both arms into the gap and flailed desperately。
A book sailed across the room and hit him in the back of the head。
〃Looking for this； were you？〃 said Vimes。
He stepped out of the shadows。
Wonse was on his knees； his mouth opening and shutting。
What's he going to say； Vimes thought。 Is it going to be： I know what this looks like； or will it be： How did you get in here； or maybe it'll be： Listen； I can explain everything。 I wish I had a loaded dragon in my hands right now。
Wonse said； 〃Okay。 Clever of you to guess。〃
Of course； that was always an outside chance； Vimes added。
〃Under the floorboards；〃 he said aloud。 〃First place anyone'd look。 Rather foolish； that was。〃
〃I know。 I suppose he didn't think anyone would be searching；〃 said Wonse； standing up and brushing the dust off himself。
〃I'm sorry？〃 said Vimes pleasantly。
〃Vetinari。 You know how he was for scheming and things。 He was involved in most of the plots against himself； that was how he ran things。 He enjoyed it。 Obviously he called it up and couldn't control it。 Something even more cunning than he was。〃
〃So what were you doing？〃 said Vimes。
〃I wondered if it might be possible to reverse the spell。 Or maybe call up another dragon。 They'd fight then。〃
〃A sort of balance of terror； you mean？〃 said Vimes。
〃Could be worth a try；〃 said Wonse earnestly。 He took a few steps closer。 〃Look； about your job； I know we were both a bit overwrought at the time； so of course if you want it back there'll be no prob。。。〃
〃It must have been terrible；〃 said Vimes。 〃Imagine what must have gone through his mind。 He called it up； and then found it wasn't just some sort of tool but a real thing with a mind of its own。 A mind just like his； but with all the brakes off。 You know； I wouldn't mind betting that at the start he really thought that what he was doing was all for the best。 He must have been insane。 Sooner or later； anyway。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Wonse hoarsely。 〃It must have been terrible。〃
〃Ye gods； but I'd like to get my hands on him！ All those years I've known the man； and I'd never realized 。。。〃
Wonse said nothing。
〃Run；〃 said Vimes softly。
〃What？〃
〃Run。 I want to see you run。〃
〃I don't underst。。。。〃
〃I saw someone run away； the night the dragon flamed that house。 I remember thinking at the time that he moved in a funny way； sort of bounding along。 And then the other day I saw you running away from the dragon。 Could almost have been the same man； I thought。 Skipping； almost。 Like someone running to keep up。 Any of them get out； Wonse？〃
Wonse waved a hand in what he might have thought was a nonchalant way。 〃That's just ridiculous； that's not proof；〃 he said。
〃I noticed you sleep in here now；〃 said Vimes。 〃I suppose the king likes to have you handy； does he？〃
〃You've got no proof at all；〃 whispered Wonse。
〃Of course I haven't。 The way someone runs。 The eager tone of voice。 That's all。 But that doesn't matter； does it？ Because it wouldn't matter even if I did have proof；〃 said Vimes。 〃There's no one to take it to。 And you can't give me my job back。〃
〃I can！〃 said Wonse。 〃I can； and you needn't just be captain。。。〃
〃You can't give me my job back；〃 repeated Vimes。 〃It was never yours to take away。 I was never an officer of the city； or an officer of the king； or an officer of the Patrician。 I was an officer of the law。 It might have been corrupted and bent； but it was law； of a sort。 There isn't any law now except： 'you'll get burned alive if you don't watch out'。 Where's the place in there for me？〃
Wonse darted forward and grabbed him by the arm。
〃But you can help me！〃 he said。 〃There may be a way to destroy the dragon； d'you see； or at least we can help people； channel things to mitigate the worst of it； somehow find a meeting point。。。〃
Vimes's blow caught Wonse on the cheek and spun him around。
〃The dragon's here； 〃he snapped。 〃You can't channel it or persuade it or negotiate with it。 There's no truce with dragons。 You brought it here and we're stuck with it； you bastard。 〃
Wonse lowered his hand from the bright white mark where the punch had connected。
〃What are you going to do？〃 he said。
Vimes didn't know。 He'd thought of a dozen ways that the thing could go； but the only one that was really suitable was killing Wonse。 And； face to face； he couldn't do it。
〃That's the trouble with people like you；〃 said Wonse； getting up。 〃You're always against anything attempted for the betterment of mankind； but you never have any proper plans of your own。 Guards！ Guards！〃
He grinned maniacally at Vimes。
〃Didn't expect that； did you？〃 he said。 〃We've still got guards here； you know。 Not so many； of course。 Not many people want to e in。〃
There were footsteps in the passage outside and four of the palace guards padded in； swords drawn。
〃I wouldn't put up a fight； if I were you；〃 Wonse went on。 〃They're desperate and uneasy men。 But very highly paid。〃
Vimes said nothing。 Wonse was a gloater。 You always stood a chance with gloaters。 The old Patrician had never been a gloater； you could say that for him。 If he wanted you dead； you never even heard about it。
The thing to do with gloaters was play the game according to the rules。
〃You'll never get away with it；〃 he said。
〃You're right。 You're absolutely right。 But never is a long time；〃 said Wonse。 〃None of us get away with anything for that long。〃
〃You shall have some ti