tp.guards!guards!-第35部分

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essing。
　He　felt　an　appetite　for　once；　one　that　it'd　take　more　than　a　drink　or　two　to　satisfy。　He　strolled　along　for　breakfast　at　Harga's　House　of　Ribs；　the　habit　of　years；　and　got　another　unpleasant　surprise。　Normally　the　only　decoration　in　there　was　on　Sham　Harga's　vest　and　the　food　was　good　solid　stuff　for　a　cold　morning；　all　calories　and　fat　and　protein　and　maybe　a　vitamin　crying　softly　because　it　was　all　alone。　Now　laboriously…made　paper　streamers　criss…crossed　the　room　and　he　was　confronted　with　a　crayonned　menu　in　which　the　words　〃Coronasion〃　and　〃Royall〃　figured　somewhere　on　every　crooked　line。
　Vimes　pointed　wearily　at　the　top　of　the　menu。
　〃What's　this？〃　he　said。
　Harga　peered　at　it。　They　were　alone　in　the　grease…walled　cafe。
　〃It　says　'Bye　Royarl　Appointmente'；　Captain；〃　he　said　proudly。
　〃What's　it　mean？〃
　Harga　scratched　his　head　with　a　ladle。　〃What　it　means　is；〃　he　said；　〃if　the　king　es　in　here；　he'll　like　it。〃
　〃Have　you　got　anything　that　isn't　too　aristocratic　for　me　to　eat；　then？〃　said　Vimes　sourly；　and　settled　for　a　slice　of　plebeian　fried　bread　and　a　proletarian　steak　cooked　so　rare　you　could　still　hear　it　bray。　Vimes　ate　it　at　the　counter。
　A　vague　scraping　noise　disturbed　his　thoughts。　〃What're　you　doing？〃　he　said。
　Harga　looked　up　guiltily　from　his　work　behind　the　counter。
　〃Nothing；　Cap'n；〃　he　said。　He　tried　to　hide　the　evidence　behind　him　when　Vimes　glared　over　the　knife…chewed　woodwork。
　〃e　on；　Sham。　You　can　show　me。〃
　Harga's　beefy　hands　came　reluctantly　into　view。
　〃I　was　only　scraping　the　old　fat　out　of　the　pan；〃　he　mumbled。
　〃I　see。　And　how　long　have　we　known　each　other；　Sham？〃　said　Vimes；　with　terrible　kindness。
　〃Years；　Cap'n；〃　said　Harga。　〃You　bin　ing　in　here　nearly　every　day；　reg'lar。　One　of　my　best　customers。〃
　Vimes　leaned　over　the　counter　until　his　nose　was　level　with　the　squashy　pink　thing　in　the　middle　of　Harga's　face。
　〃And　in　all　that　time；　have　you　ever　changed　the　fat？〃　he　demanded。
　Harga　tried　to　back　away。　〃Well。。。〃
　〃It's　been　like　a　friend　to　me；　that　old　fat；〃　said　Vimes。　〃There's　little　black　bits　in　there　I've　grown　to　know　and　love。　It's　a　meal　in　itself。　And　you've　cleaned　out　the　coffee　jug；　haven't　you。　I　can　tell。　This　is　love…in…a…canoe　coffee　if　ever　I　tasted　it。　The　other　stuff　had　flavour。　〃
　〃Well；　I　thought　it　was　time。。。〃
　〃Why？〃
　Harga　let　the　pan　fall　from　his　pudgy　fingers。　〃Well；　I　thought；　if　the　king　should　happen　to　e　in。。。〃
　Vimes's　accusing　finger　buried　itself　up　to　the　second　joint　in　Harga　's　expansive　vest。
　〃You　don't　even　know　the　wretched　fellow's　name！〃　he　shouted。
　Harga　rallied。　〃I　do；　Cap'n；〃　he　stuttered。　〃Course　I　do。　Seen　it　on　the　decorations　and　everything。　He's　called　Rex　Vivat。〃
　Very　gently；　shaking　his　head　in　despair；　crying　in　his　heart　for　the　essential　servility　of　mankind；　Vimes　let　him　go。
　　
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　In　another　time　and　place；　the　Librarian　finished　reading。　He'd　reached　the　end　of　the　text。　Not　the　end　of　the　book　…　there　was　plenty　more　book。　It　had　been　scorched　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。
　　
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　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