tp.guards!guards!-第30部分

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　〃It　looks　as　though　it's　searching　for　something！〃　he　shouted。
　〃Then　getting　away　before　it　finds　it　is　a　first…class　idea；　don't　you　think？〃
　A　tongue　of　fire　hit　the　dark　Tower　of　Art；　slid　blindly　down　its　ivy…grown　flanks；　and　disappeared　through　the　dome　of　Unseen　University's　Library。
　The　other　lines　blinked　out。
　Lady　Ramkin　brought　the　coach　to　a　halt　at　the　far　side　of　the　square。
　〃What　does　it　want　the　Library　for？〃　she　said；　frowning。
　〃Maybe　it　wants　to　look　something　up？〃
　〃Don't　be　silly；〃　she　said　breezily。　〃There's　just　a　lot　of　books　hi　there。　What　would　a　flash　of　lightning　want　to　read？〃
　〃Something　very　short？〃
　〃I　really　think　you　could　try　to　be　a　bit　more　help。〃
　The　line　of　light　exploded　into　an　arc　between　the　Library's　dome　and　the　centre　of　the　plaza　and　hung　hi　the　air；　a　band　of　brilliance　several　feet　across。
　Then；　hi　a　sudden　rush；　it　became　a　sphere　of　fire　which　grew　swiftly　to　enpass　almost　all　the　plaza；　vanished　suddenly；　and　left　the　night　full　of　ringing；　violet　shadows。
　And　the　plaza　full　of　dragon。　
　。。。
　　
　Who　would　have　thought　it？　So　much　power；　so　close　at　hand。　The　dragon　could　feel　the　magic　flowing　into　it；　renewing　it　from　second　to　second；　in　defiance　of　all　boring　physical　laws。　This　wasn't　the　poor　feed　it　had　been　given　before。　This　was　the　right　stuff。　There　was　no　end　to　what　it　could　do；　with　power　like　this。
　But　first　it　had　to　pay　its　respects　to　certain　people　。　。　。
　It　sniffed　the　dawn　air。　It　was　searching　for　the　stink　of　minds。
　Noble　dragons　don't　have　friends。　The　nearest　they　can　get　to　the　idea　is　an　enemy　who　is　still　alive。
　　
　。。。
　　
　The　air　became　very　still；　so　still　that　you　could　almost　hear　the　slow　fall　of　dust。　The　Librarian　swung　on　his　knuckles　between　the　endless　bookshelves。　The　dome　of　the　Library　was　still　overhead　but　then；　it　always　was。
　It　seemed　quite　logical　to　the　Librarian　that；　since　there　were　aisles　where　the　shelves　were　on　the　outside　then　there　should　be　other　aisles　in　the　space　between　the　books　themselves；　created　out　of　quantum　ripples　by　the　sheer　weight　of　words。　There　were　certainly　some　odd　sounds　ing　from　the　other　side　of　some　shelving；　and　the　Librarian　knew　that　if　he　gently　pulled　out　a　book　or　two　he　would　be　peeking　into　different　libraries　under　different　skies。
　Books　bend　space　and　time。　One　reason　the　owners　of　those　aforesaid　little　rambling；　poky　second…hand　bookshops　always　seem　slightly　unearthly　is　that　many　of　them　really　are；　having　strayed　into　this　world　after　taking　a　wrong　turn　in　their　own　bookshops　in　worlds　where　it　is　considered　mendable　business　practice　to　wear　carpet　slippers　all　the　time　and　open　your　shop　only　when　you　feel　like　it。　You　stray　into　L…space　at　your　peril。
　Very　senior　librarians；　however；　once　they　have　proved　themselves　worthy　by　performing　some　valiant　act　of　librarianship；　are　accepted　into　a　secret　order　and　are　taught　the　raw　arts　of　survival　beyond　the　Shelves　We　Know。　The　Librarian　was　highly　skilled　in　all　of　them；　but　what　he　was　attempting　now　wouldn't　just　get　him　thrown　out　of　the　Order　but　probably　out　of　life　itself。
　All　libraries　everywhere　are　connected　in　L…space。　All　libraries。　Everywhere。　And　the　Librarian；　navigating　by　booksign　carved　on　shelves　by　past　explorers；　navigating　by　smell；　navigating　even　by　the　siren　whisperings　of　nostalgia；　was　heading　purposely　for　one　very　special　one。
　There　was　one　consolation。　If　he　got　it　wrong；　he'd　never　know　it。
　　
　。。。
　　
　Somehow　the　dragon　was　worse　on　the　ground。　In　the　air　it　was　an　elemental　thing；　graceful　even　when　it　was　trying　to　burn　you　to　your　boots。　On　the　ground　it　was　just　a　damn　great　animal。
　Its　huge　head　reared　against　the　gray　of　dawn；　turning　slowly。
　Lady　Ramkin　and　Vimes　peered　cautiously　from　behind　a　water　trough。　Vimes　had　his　hand　clamped　over　Errol's　muzzle。　The　little　dragon　was　whimpering　like　a　kicked　puppy；　and　fighting　to　get　away。
　〃It's　a　magnificent　brute；〃　said　Lady　Ramkin；　in　what　she　probably　thought　was　a　whisper。
　〃I　do　wish　you　wouldn't　keep　saying　that；''　said　Vimes。
　There　was　a　scraping　noise　as　the　dragon　dragged　itself　over　the　stones。
　〃I　knew　it　wasn't　killed；''　growled　Vimes。　〃There　were　no　bits。　It　was　too　neat。　It　was　sent　somewhere　by　some　sort　of　magic；　I　bet。　Look　at　it。　It's　bloody　impossible！　It　needs　magic　to　keep　it　alive！〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Lady　Ramkin；　not　tearing　her　gaze　from　its　armoured　flanks。
　What　did　he　mean？　What　did　he　mean？　He　thought　fast。
　〃It's　just　not　physically　possible；　that's　what　I　mean；〃　he　said。　〃Nothing　that　heavy　should　be　able　to　fly；　or　breathe　fire　like　that。　I　told　you。　But　it　looks　real　enough。　I　mean；　you'd　expect　a　magical　creature　to　be；　well；　gauzy。〃
　〃Oh；　it's　real。　It's　real　all　right；〃　said　Ramkin　bitterly。　〃But　supposing　it　needs　magic　like　we　need；　like　we　need　。　。　。　sunlight？　Or　food。〃
　〃It's　a　thaumivore；　you　mean？〃
　〃I　just　think　it　eats　magic；　that's　all；〃　said　Vimes；　who　had　not　had　a　classical　education。　〃I　mean；　all　these　little　swamp　dragons；　always　on　the　point　of　extinction；　suppose　one　day　back　in　prehistoric　times　some　of　them　found　out　how　to　use　magic？〃
　〃There　used　to　be　a　lot　of　natural　magic　around　once；''　said　Lady　Ramkin　thoughtfully。
　〃There　you　are；　then。　After　all；　creatures　use　the　air　and　the　sea。　I　mean；　if　there's　a　natural　resource　around；　something's　going　to　use　it；　aren't　they？　Then　it　wouldn't　matter　about　bad　digestion　and　weight　and　wing　size　and　so　on；　because　the　magic　would　take　care　of　it。　Wow！〃
　But　you'd　need　a　lot；　he　thought。　He　wasn't　certain　how　much　magic　you'd　need　to　change　the　world　enough　to　let　tons　of　armoured　carcass　flit　around　the　sky　like　a　swallow；　but　he'd　bet　it　was　lots。
　All　those　thefts。　Someone'd　been　feeding　the　dragon。
　He　looked　at　the　bulk　of　the　Unseen　University　Library　of　magic　books；　the　greatest　accumulation　of　distilled　magical　power　on　the　Discworld。
　And　now　the　dragon　had　learned　how　to　feed　itself。
　He　became　terribly　aware　that　Lady　Ramkin　had　moved；　and　saw　to　his　horror　that　she　was　striding　towards　the　dragon；　chin　stuck　out　like　an　anvil。
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃　he　whispered　loudly。
　〃If　it's　descended　from　the　swamp　dragons　then　I　can　probably　control　it；〃　she　called　back。　〃You　have　to　look　them　in　the　eye　and　use　a　no…nonsense　tone　of　voice。　They　can't　resist　a　stern　human　voice。　They　don't　have　the　willpower；　you　know。　They're　just　big　softies。〃
　To　his　shame；　Vimes　realized　that　his　legs　were　going　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　any　mad　dash　to　drag　her　back。
　His　pride　didn't　like　that；　but　his　body　pointed　out　that　it　wasn't　his　pride　that　stood　a　very　reasonable　chance　of　being　thinly　laminated　to　the　nearest　building。　Through　ears　burning　with　embarrassment　he　heard　her　say：　〃Bad　boy！〃
　The　echoes　of　that　stern　injunction　rang　out　across　the　plaza。
　Oh　gods；　he　thought；　is　that　how　you　train　a　dragon？　Point　them　at　the　melted　patch　on　the　floor　and　threaten　to　rub　their　nose　in　it？
　He　risked　a　peep　over　the　horse　trough。
　The　dragon's　head　was　swinging　around　slowly；　like　a　crane　jib。　It　had　some　difficulty　focusing　on　her；　right　below　it。　Vimes　could　see　the　great　red　eyes　narrow　as　the　creature　tried　to　squint　down　the　length　of　its　own　nose。　It　looked　puzzled。　He　wasn't　surprised。
　〃Sit！〃　bellowed　Lady　Ramkin；　in　a　tone　so　undisobeyable　that　even　Vimes　felt　his　legs　involuntarily　sag。　〃Good　boy！　I　think　I　may　have　a　lump　of　coke　somewhere。。。〃　She　patted　her　pockets。
　Eye　contact。　That　was　the　important　thing。　She　really；　Vimes　thought；　shouldn't　have　looked　down　even　for　a　moment。
　The　dragon　raised　one　talon　in　a　leisurely　fashion　and　pinned　her　to　the　ground。
　As　Vimes　half…rose　in　horror　Errol　escaped　from　his　grip　and　cleared　the　trough　in　one　leap。　He　bounced　across　the　plaza　in　a　series　of　wing…whirring　arcs；　mouth　gaping；　emitting　wheezing　burps；　trying　to　flame。
　He　was　answered　with　a　tongue　of　blue…white　fire　that　melted　a　streak　of　bubbling　rock　several　yards　long　but　failed　to　strike　the　challenger。　It　was　hard　to　pick　him　out　of　the　air　because；　quite　clearly；　even　Errol　didn't　know　where　he　was　going　to　be；　or　what　way　up　he　was　going　to　be　when　he　got　there。　His　only　hope　at　this　point　lay　in　movement；　and　he　vaulted　and　spun　between　the　increasingly　furious　bursts　of　fire　like　a　scared　but　determined　random　particle。
　The　great　dragon　reared　up　with　the　sound　of　a　dozen　anchor　chains　being　thrown　into　a　corner；　and　tried　to　bat　the　tormenter　out　of　the　air。
　Vimes's　legs　gave　in　at　that　point　and　decided　that　they　might　allow　themselves　to　be　heroic　legs　for　a　while。　He　scurried　across　the　intervening　space；　sword　at　the　ready　for　what　good　it　might　do；　grabbed　Lady　Ramkin　by　an　arm　and　a　handful　of　bedraggled　ballgown；　and　swung　her　on　to　his　shoulder。
　He　got　several　yards　before　the　essential　bad　judgement　of　this　move　dawned　on　him。
　He　went　〃Gngh〃。　His　vertebrae　and　knees　were　trying　to　fuse　into　one　lump。　Purple　spots　flashed　on　and　off　in　front　of　his　eyes。　On　top　of　it　all；　something　unfamiliar　but　apparently　made　of　whalebone　was　poking　sharply　into　the　back　of　his　neck。
　He　managed　a　few　more　steps　by　sheer　momentum；　knowing　that　when　he　stopped　he　was　going　to　be　utterly　crushed。　The　Ramkins　hadn't　bred　for　beauty；　they'd　bred　for　healthy　solidity　and　big　bones；　and　they'd　got　very　good　at　it　over　the　centuries。
　A　gout　of　livid　dragonfire　crackled　into　the　flagstones　a　few　feet　away。
　Afterwards　he　wondered　if　he'd　only　imagined　leaping　several　inches　into　the　air　and　covering　the　rest　of　the　distance　to　the　horse　trough　at　a　respectable　run。　Perhaps；　in　extremis；　everyone　learned　the　kind　of　instant　movement　that　was　second　nature　to　Nobby。　Anyway；　the　horse　trough　was　behind　him　and　Lady　Ramkin　was　in　his　arms；　or　at　least　was　pinning　his　arms　to　the　ground。　He　managed　to　free　them　and　tried　to　massage　a　bit　of　life　back。　What　did　you　do　next？　She　didn't　seem　to　be　injured。　He　recalled　something　about　loosening　a　person's　clothing；　but　in　Lady　Ramkin's　case　that　might　be　dangerous　without　special　tools。
　She　solved　the　immediate　problem　by　grabbing　the　e