tp.guards!guards!-第15部分

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！


ffairs　continued。
　Of　course；　there　were　various　groups　seeking　his　overthrow；　and　this　was　right　and　proper　and　the　sign　of　a　vigorous　and　healthy　society。　No　one　could　call　him　unreasonable　about　the　matter。　Why；　hadn't　he　founded　most　of　them　himself？　And　what　was　so　beautiful　was　the　way　in　which　they　spent　nearly　all　their　time　bickering　with　one　another。
　Human　nature；　the　Patrician　always　said；　was　a　marvellous　thing。　Once　you　understood　where　its　levers　were。
　He　had　an　unpleasant　premonition　about　this　dragon　business。　If　ever　there　was　a　creature　that　didn't　have　any　obvious　levers；　it　was　a　dragon。　It　would　have　to　be　sorted　out。
　The　Patrician　didn't　believe　in　unnecessary　cruelty。＇12＇　He　did　not　believe　in　pointless　revenge。　But　he　was　a　great　believer　in　the　need　for　things　to　be　sorted　out。
　Funnily　enough；　Captain　Vimes　was　thinking　the　same　thing。　He　found　he　didn't　like　the　idea　of　citizens；　even　of　the　Shades；　being　turned　into　a　mere　ceramic　tint。
　And　it　had　been　done　in　front　of　the　Watch；　more　or　less。　As　if　the　Watch　didn't　matter；　as　if　the　Watch　was　just　an　irrelevant　detail。　That　was　what　rankled。
　Of　course；　it　was　true。　That　only　made　it　worse。
　What　was　making　him　even　angrier　was　that　he　had　disobeyed　orders。　He　had　scuffed　up　the　tracks；　certainly。　But　in　the　bottom　drawer　of　his　ancient　desk；　hidden　under　a　pile　of　empty　bottles；　was　a　plaster　cast。　He　could　feel　it　staring　at　him　through　three　layers　of　wood。
　He　couldn't　imagine　what　had　got　into　him。　And　now　he　was　going　even　further　out　on　to　the　limb。
　He　reviewed　his；　for　want　of　a　better　word；　troops。　He'd　asked　the　senior　pair　to　turn　up　in　plain　clothes。　This　meant　that　Sergeant　Colon；　who'd　worn　uniform　all　his　life；　was　looking　red…faced　and　unfortable　in　the　suit　he　wore　for　funerals。　Whereas　Nobby。。。
　〃I　wonder　if　I　made　the　word　'plain'　clear　enough？〃　said　Captain　Vimes。
　〃It's　what　I　wear　outside　work；　guv；〃　said　Nobby　reproachfully。
　〃Sir；〃　corrected　Sergeant　Colon。
　〃My　voice　is　in　plain　clothes　too；〃　said　Nobby。　〃Initiative；　that　is。〃
　Vimes　walked　slowly　around　the　corporal。
　〃And　your　plain　clothes　do　not　cause　old　women　to　faint　and　small　boys　to　run　after　you　in　the　street？〃　he　said。
　Nobby　shifted　uneasily。　He　wasn't　at　home　with　irony。
　〃No；　sir；　guv；〃　he　said。　〃It's　all　the　go；　this　style。〃
　This　was　broadly　true。　There　was　a　current　fad　in　Ankh　for　big；　feathered　hats；　ruffs；　slashed　doublets　with　gold　frogging；　flared　pantaloons　and　boots　with　ornamental　spurs。　The　trouble　was；　Vimes　reflected；　that　most　of　the　fashion…conscious　had　more　body　to　go　between　these　ponent　bits；　whereas　all　that　could　be　said　of　Corporal　Nobbs　was　that　he　was　in　there　somewhere。
　It　might　be　advantageous。　After　all；　absolutely　no　one　would　ever　believe；　when　they　saw　him　ing　down　the　street；　that　here　was　a　member　of　the　Watch　trying　to　look　inconspicuous。
　It　occurred　to　Vimes　that　he　knew　absolutely　nothing　about　Nobbs　outside　working　hours。　He　couldn't　even　remember　where　the　man　lived。　All　these　years　he'd　known　the　man　and　he'd　never　realized　that；　in　his　secret　private　life；　Corporal　Nobbs　was　a　bit　of　a　peacock。　A　very　short　peacock；　it　was　true；　a　peacock　that　had　been　hit　repeatedly　with　something　heavy；　perhaps；　but　a　peacock　nonetheless。　It　just　went　to　show；　you　never　could　tell。
　He　brought　his　attention　back　to　the　business　in　hand。
　〃I　want　you　two；〃　he　said　to　Nobbs　and　Colon；　〃to　mingle　unobtrusively；　or　obtrusively　in　your　case；　Corporal　Nobbs；　with　people　tonight　and；　er；　see　if　you　can　detect　anything　unusual。〃
　〃Unusual　like　what？〃　said　the　sergeant。
　Vimes　hesitated。　He　wasn't　exactly　sure　himself。　''　Anything；〃　he　said；　〃　pertinent。''
　〃Ah。〃　The　sergeant　nodded　wisely。　〃Pertinent。　Right。〃
　There　was　an　awkward　silence。
　〃Maybe　people　have　seen　weird　things；〃　said　Captain　Vimes。　〃Or　perhaps　there　have　been　unexplained　fires。　Or　footprints。　You　know；〃　he　finished；　desperately；　〃signs　of　dragons。〃
　〃You　mean；　like；　piles　of　gold　what　have　been　slept　on；〃　said　the　sergeant。
　〃And　virgins　being　chained　to　rocks；〃　said　Nobbs；　knowingly。
　〃I　can　see　you're　experts；〃　sighed　Vimes。　〃Just　do　the　best　you　can。〃
　〃This　mingling；〃　said　Sergeant　Colon　delicately；　〃it　would　involve　going　into　taverns　and　drinking　and　similar；　would　it？〃
　〃To　a　certain　extent；〃　said　Vimes。
　〃Ah；〃　said　the　sergeant；　happily。
　〃In　moderation。〃
　〃Right　you　are；　sir。〃
　〃And　at　your　own　expense。〃
　〃Oh。〃
　〃But　before　you　go；〃　said　the　captain；　〃do　either　of　you　know　anyone　who　might　know　anything　about　dragons？　Apart　from　sleeping　on　gold　and　the　bit　with　the　young　women；　I　mean。〃
　〃Wizards　would；〃　volunteered　Nobby。
　〃Apart　from　wizards；〃　said　Vimes　firmly。　You　couldn't　trust　wizards。　Every　guard　knew　you　couldn't　trust　wizards。　They　were　even　worse　than　civilians。
　Colon　thought　about　it。　〃There's　always　Lady　Ramkin；〃　he　said。　〃Lives　in　Scoone　Avenue。　Breeds　swamp　dragons。　You　know；　the　little　buggers　people　keep　as　pets？〃
　〃Oh；　her；〃　said　Vimes　gloomily。　〃I　think　I've　seen　her　around。　The　one　with　the　'Whinny　If　You　Love　Dragons'　sticker　on　the　back　of　her　carriage？〃
　〃That's　her。　She's　mental；〃　said　Sergeant　Colon。
　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do；　sir？〃　said　Carrot。
　〃Er。　You　have　the　most　important　job；〃　said　Vimes　hurriedly。　〃I　want　you　to　stay　here　and　watch　the　office。〃
　Carrot's　face　broadened　in　a　slow；　unbelieving　grin。
　〃You　mean　I'm　left　in　charge；　sir？〃　he　said。
　〃In　a　manner　of　speaking；〃　said　Vimes。　〃But　you're　not　allowed　to　arrest　anyone；　understand？〃　he　added　quickly。
　〃Not　even　if　they're　breaking　the　law；　sir？〃
　〃Not　even　then。　Just　make　a　note　of　it。〃
　〃I'll　read　my　book；　then；〃　said　Carrot。　〃And　polish　my　helmet。''
　〃Good　boy；〃　said　the　captain。　It　should　be　safe　enough；　he　thought。　No　one　ever　es　in　here；　not　even　to　report　a　lost　dog。　No　one　ever　thinks　about　the　Watch。　You'd　have　to　be　really　out　of　touch　to　go　to　the　Watch　for　help；　he　thought　bitterly。
　　
　。。。
　　
　Scoone　Avenue　was　a　wide；　tree…lined；　and　incredibly　select　part　of　Ankh；　high　enough　above　the　river　to　be　away　from　its　all…pervading　smell。　People　in　Scoone　Avenue　had　old　money；　which　was　supposed　to　be　much　better　than　new　money；　although　Captain　Vimes　had　never　had　enough　of　either　to　spot　the　difference。　People　in　Scoone　Avenue　had　their　own　personal　bodyguards。　People　in　Scoone　Avenue　were　said　to　be　so　aloof　they　wouldn't　even　talk　to　the　gods。　This　was　a　slight　slander。　They　would　talk　to　gods；　if　they　were　well…bred　gods　of　decent　family。
　Lady　Ramkin's　house　was　not　hard　to　find。　It　manded　an　outcrop　that　gave　it　a　magnificent　view　of　the　city；　if　that　was　your　idea　of　a　good　time。　There　were　stone　dragons　on　the　gatepost；　and　the　gardens　had　an　unkempt　overgrown　look。　Statues　of　Ramkins　long　gone　loomed　up　out　of　the　greenery。　Most　of　them　had　swords　and　were　covered　in　ivy　up　to　the　neck。
　Vimes　sensed　that　this　was　not　because　the　garden's　owner　was　too　poor　to　do　anything　about　it；　but　rather　that　the　garden's　owner　thought　there　were　much　more　important　things　than　ancestors；　which　was　a　pretty　unusual　point　of　view　for　an　aristocrat。
　They　also　apparently　thought　that　there　were　more　important　things　than　property　repair。　When　he　rang　the　bell　of　the　rather　pleasant　old　house　itself；　in　the　middle　of　a　flourishing　rhododendron　forest；　several　bits　of　the　plaster　facade　fell　off。
　That　seemed　to　be　the　only　effect；　except　that　something　round　the　back　of　the　house　started　to　howl。　Some　things。
　It　started　to　rain　again。　After　a　while　Vimes　felt　the　dignity　of　his　position　and　cautiously　edged　around　the　building；　keeping　well　back　in　case　anything　else　collapsed。
　He　reached　a　heavy　wooden　gate　in　a　heavy　wooden　wall。　In　contrast　with　the　general　decrepitude　of　the　rest　of　the　place；　it　seemed　paratively　new　and　very　solid。
　He　knocked。　This　caused　another　fusillade　of　strange　whistling　noises。
　The　door　opened。　Something　dreadful　loomed　over　him。
　〃Ah；　good　man。　Do　you　know　anything　about　mating？〃　it　boomed。
　　
　。。。
　　
　It　was　quiet　and　warm　in　the　Watch　House。　Carrot　listened　to　the　hissing　of　sand　in　the　hourglass　and　concentrated　on　buffing　up　his　breastplate。　Centuries　of　tarnish　had　given　up　under　his　cheerful　onslaught。　It　gleamed。
　You　knew　where　you　were　with　a　shiny　breastplate。　The　strangeness　of　the　city；　where　they　had　all　these　laws　and　concentrated　on　ignoring　them；　was　too　much　for　him。　But　a　shiny　breastplate　was　a　breastplate　well　shined。
　The　door　opened。　He　peered　across　the　top　of　the　ancient　desk。　There　was　no　one　there。
　He　tried　a　few　more　industrious　rubs。
　There　was　the　vague　sound　of　someone　who　had　got　fed　up　with　waiting。　Two　purple…fingernailed　hands　grasped　the　edge　of　the　desk；　and　the　Librarian's　face　rose　slowly　into　view　like　an　early…morning　coconut。
　〃Oook；〃　he　said。
　Carrot　stared。　It　had　been　explained　to　him　carefully　that；　contrary　to　appearances；　laws　governing　the　animal　kingdom　did　not　apply　to　the　Librarian。　On　the　other　hand；　the　Librarian　himself　was　never　very　interested　in　obeying　the　laws　governing　the　human　kingdom；　either。　He　was　one　of　those　little　anomalies　you　have　to　build　around。
　〃Hallo；〃　said　Carrot　uncertainly。　（〃Don't　call　him　'boy'　or　pat　him；　that　always　gets　him　annoyed。〃）
　〃Oook。〃
　The　Librarian　prodded　the　desk　with　a　long；　many…jointed　finger。
　〃What？〃
　〃Oook。　〃
　〃Sorry？〃
　The　Librarian　rolled　his　eyes。　It　was　strange；　he　felt；　that　so…called　intelligent　dogs；　horses　and　dolphins　never　had　any　difficulty　indicating　to　humans　the　vital　news　of　the　moment；　e。g。；　that　the　three　children　were　lost　in　the　cave；　or　the　train　was　about　to　take　the　line　leading　to　the　bridge　that　had　been　washed　away　or　similar；　while　he；　only　a　handful　of　chromosomes　away　from　wearing　a　vest；　found　it　difficult　to　persuade　the　average　human　to　e　in　out　of　the　rain。　You　just　couldn't　talk　to　some　people。
　〃Oook！〃　he　said；　and　beckoned。
　〃I　can't　leave　the　office；〃　said　Carrot。　〃I've　had　Orders。〃
　The　Librarian's　upper　lip　rolled　back　like　a　blind。
　〃Is　that　a　smile？〃　said　Carrot。　The　Librarian　shook　his　head。
　〃Someone　hasn't　mitted　a　crime；　have　they？〃　sa