tp.guards!guards!-第43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！


　〃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　time　to　reflect　on　this；〃　he　said　and　nodded　to　the　guards。　〃Throw　him　in　the　special　dungeon。　And　then　go　about　that　other　little　task。〃
　〃Er；〃　said　the　leader　of　the　guards；　and　hesitated。
　〃What's　the　matter；　man？〃
　〃You；　er；　want　us　to　attack　him？〃　said　the　guard　miserably。　Thick　though　the　palace　guard　were；　they　were　as　aware　as　everyone　else　of　the　conventions；　and　when　guards　are　summoned　to　deal　with　one　man　in　overheated　circumstances　it's　not　a　good　time　for　them。　The　bugger's　bound　to　be　heroic；　he　was　thinking。　This　guard　was　not　looking　forward　to　a　future　in　which　he　was　dead。
　〃Of　course；　you　idiot！〃
　〃But；　er；　there's　only　one　of　him；〃　said　the　guard　captain。
　〃And　he's　smilin'；〃　said　a　man　behind　him。
　〃Prob'ly　goin'　to　swing　on　the　chandeliers　any　minute；〃　said　one　of　his　colleagues。　〃And　kick　over　the　table；　and　that。〃
　〃He's　not　even　armed！〃　shrieked　Wonse。
　〃Worst　kind；　that；〃　said　one　of　the　guards；　with　deep　stoicism。　〃They　leap　up；　see；　and　grab　one　of　the　ornamental　swords　behind　the　shield　over　the　fireplace。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　said　another；　suspiciously。　〃And　then　they　chucks　a　chair　at　you。〃
　〃There's　no　fireplace！　There's　no　sword！　There's　only　him！　Now　take　him！〃　screamed　Wonse。
　A　couple　of　guards　grabbed　Vimes　tentatively　by　the　shoulders。
　〃You're　not　going　to　do　anything　heroic；　are　you？〃　whispered　one　of　them。
　〃Wouldn't　know　where　to　start；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh。　Right。〃
　As　Vimes　was　hauled　away　he　heard　Wonse　breaking　into　insane　laughter。　They　always　did；　your　gloaters。
　But　he　was　correct　about　one　thing。　Vimes　didn't　have　a　plan。　He　hadn't　thought　much　about　what　was　going　to　happen　next。　He'd　been　a　fool；　he　told　himself；　to　think　that　you　just　had　a　confrontation　and　that　was　the　end　of　it。
　He　also　wondered　what　the　other　task　was。
　The　palace　guards　said　nothing；　but　stared　straight　ahead　and　marched　him　down；　across　the　ruined　hall；　and　through　the　wreckage　of　another　corridor　to　an　ominous　door。　They　opened　it；　threw　him　in；　and　marched　away。
　And　no　one；　absolutely　no　one；　noticed　the　thin；　leaf…like　thing　that　floated　gently　down　from　the　shadows　of　the　roof；　tumbling　over　and　over　in　the　air　like　a　sycamore　seed；　before　landing　in　the　tangled　gewgaws　of　the　hoard。
　It　was　a　peanut　shell。
　。。。
　　
　It　was　the　silence　that　awoke　Lady　Ramkin。　Her　bedroom　looked　out　over　the　dragon　pens；　and　she　was　used　to　sleeping　to　the　susurration　of　rustling　scales；　the　occasional　roar　of　a　dragon　flaming　in　its　sleep；　and　the　keening　of　the　gravid　females。　Absence　of　any　sound　at　all　was　like　an　alarm　clock。
　She　had　cried　a　bit　before　going　to　sleep；　but　not　much；　because　it　was　no　use　being　soppy　and　letting　the　side　down。　She　lit　the　lamp；　pulled　on　her　rubber　boots；　grabbed　the　stick　which　might　be　all　that　stood　between　her　and　theoretical　loss　of　virtue；　and　hurried　down　through　the　shadowy　house。　As　she　crossed　the　damp　lawn　to　the　kennels　she　was　vaguely　aware　that　something　was　happening　down　in　the　city；　but　dismissed　it　as　not　currently　wor