'Are you a Watch man?' it said.
'No,' said Vimes. 'And yes.'
'What happened to the king, Watch man?'
'Er. I think he's gone off for a rest,' said Vimes.
'My auntie said I shouldn't talk to Watch men,' said the child.
'Do you think it might be a good idea to go home and tell her how obedient you've been, then?' said Vimes.
'My auntie said, if I was naughty, she'd put me on the roof and call the dragon,' said the child, conversationally. 'My auntie said it eats you all up starting with the legs, so's you can see what's happening.'
'Why don't you go home and tell your auntie she's acting in the best traditions of Ankh- Morpork child-rearing?' said Vimes. 'Go on. Run along.'
'It crunches up all your bones,' said the child happily. 'And when it gets to your head, it-'
'Look, it's up there!' shouted Vimes. 'The great big dragon that crunches you up! Now go home!'
The child looked up at the thing perched on the crippled dais.
Вы читаете Guards! Guards!
