Night Watch

shut off this end of Treacle Mine and the end of Sheer then they're left with alleyways, and they don't like that! It's up to you, of course! We'd like to protect you, but me and my men'll be behind the barricades over here–”

He turned on his heel and marched back to the waiting watchmen.

“Right, lads,” he said. “You heard. Pounce and Gaskin, you take the hurry-up wagon up to the bridge and turn it over. Waddy and Nancyball and you too, Fred…go and nick some carts. You grew up round here, so don't tell me you've never done that before. I want a couple blocking the streets down here, and the rest, I want you to run them into the alley mouths until they wedge. You men know the area. Block up all the little back ways.”

Colon rubbed his nose. “We could do that on the river side, sarge, but it's all alleys on the Shades side. Can't block 'em all.”

“I wouldn't worry about those,” said Vimes. “Cavalry can't come through there. You know what they call a horse in the Shades?”

Colon grinned. “Yeah, sarge. Lunch.”

“Right. The rest of you, get all the benches and tables out of the Watch House—”

It dawned on him that none of the men had moved. There was a certain…problem in the air.

“Well?”

Billy Wiglet removed his helmet and wiped his forehead. “Er…how far is this going to go, sarge?”

“All the way, Billy.”

“But we took the oath, sarge, and now we're disobeying orders and helping rebels. Doesn't seem right, sarge,” said Wiglet, wretchedly.

“You took an oath to uphold the law and defend the citizens without fear or favour,” said Vimes. “And to protect the innocent. That's all they put in. Maybe they thought those were the important things. Nothing in there about orders, even from me. You're an officer of the law, not a soldier of the government.”

One or two of the men looked longingly at the other end of the street, empty and inviting.

“But I won't stop anyone who wants to walk,” said Vimes. They stopped looking.

“'ullo, Mister Keel,” said a sticky voice behind him.

“Yes, Nobby?” he said, without turning round.

“'ere, how did you detect it was me, sergeant?”

“It's an amazing talent, kid,” said Vimes, turning, against all wisdom, to look at the urchin. “What's been happening?”

“Big riot in Sator Square, sarge. And they say people've broke into the Dolly Sisters Watch House and thrown the lieutenant out the window. An' there's lootin' all over the place, they say, an' the Day Watch are out chasin' people^ only most of 'em are hidin' now 'cos—”

“Yeah, I get the picture,” sighed Vimes. Carcer had been right. Coppers were always outnumbered, so being a copper only worked when people let it work. If they refocused and realized you were just another standard idiot with a pennyworth of metal for a badge, you could end up a smear on the pavement.

He could hear shouting now, a long way off.

He looked around at the hesitant watchmen.

“On the other hand, gentlemen,” he said, “if you are going to leave, where are you going to go to?”

The same thought had clearly occurred to Colon and the others.

“We'll get the carts,” he said, hurrying off.

“And I wants a penny,” said Nobby, holding out a grubby hand. To the boy's amazement, Vimes gave him a dollar, saying, “And just keep telling me everything, will you?”

Tables and benches were already being dragged out of the Watch House and after only a couple of minutes Waddy arrived with a cartload of empty barrels. Barricades were easy in these streets; it was keeping them clear that had always been the problem.

The watchmen set to work. This was something they understood. They'd done it when they were kids. And perhaps they thought, hey, this time we're wearing uniforms. We can't be in the wrong.

While Vimes was struggling to wedge a bench into the growing wall he was aware of people behind him. He worked steadily, however, until someone gave a delicate cough. Then he turned.

“Yes? Can I help you?”

There was a small group of people, and it was clear to Vimes that it was a group pushed together out of shared terror because, by the look of them, they'd have nothing to do with one another if they could possibly avoid it.

The spokesman, or at least the one in front, looked almost exactly like the kind of person Vimes had pictured when thinking about the Hedge-Argument Murder.

“Erm, officer…”

“Yes, sir?”

“What, er, are you doing, exactly?”

“Keeping the peace, sir. This piece, to be exact.”

“You said that there's, er, rioting and soldiers on the way…”

“Very likely, sir.”

“You don't have to ask him, Rutherford, it's his duty to protect us,” snapped the woman who was standing beside the man with an air of proprietorship. Vimes changed his mind about the man. Yes, he had that furtive look of a timid domestic poisoner about him, the kind of man who'd be appalled at the idea of divorce but would plot womanslaughter every day. And you could see why.

He gave the lady a nice warm smile. She was holding a blue vase. “Can I help you, ma'am?” he said.

“What are you intending to do about us being murdered in our beds?” she demanded.

“Well, it's not four o'clock yet, ma'am, but if you'll let me know when you want to retire—”

Vimes was impressed at the way the woman drew herself up. Even Sybil, in full Duchess mode, with the blood of twenty generations of arrogant ancestors behind her, could not have matched her.

“Rutherford, are you going to do something about this man?” she said.

Rutherford looked up at Vimes. Vimes was aware that he was villainously unshaven, dishevelled, dirty and probably starting to smell. He decided not to load more troubles on the man's back.

“Would you and your lady care to assist with our barricade?” he said.

“Oh, yes, thank you very—” Rutherford began, but was outgunned again.

“Some of that furniture looks very dirty,” said Mrs Rutherford. “And aren't those beer barrels?”

“Yes, ma'am, but they're empty ones,” said Vimes.

“Are you sure? I refuse to cower behind alcohol! I have never approved of alcohol, and neither has Rutherford!”

“I can assure you, ma'am, that any beer barrel in the presence of my men for any length of time will be empty,” said Vimes. “You may rest assured on that score.”

“And are your men sober and clean-living?” the woman demanded.

“Whenever no alternative presents itself, ma'am,” said Vimes. This seemed acceptable. Mrs Rutherford was like Rust in that respect. She listened to the tone of voice, not the words.

“I think perhaps it would be a good idea, dear, if we made haste to—” Rutherford began.

“Not without Father!” said his wife.

“No problem, ma'am,” said Vimes. “Where is he?”

“On our barricade, of course! Which was, let me tell you, a rather better barricade altogether.”

“Jolly good, ma'am,” said Vimes. “If he'd like to come over here we'll—”

“Erm, you don't quite understand, sir,” murmured Rutherford. “He is, erm, on the barricade…”

Vimes looked at the other barricade, and then looked harder. It was just possible to see, near the top of the piled-up furniture, an overstuffed armchair. Further examination suggested that it was occupied by a sleeping figure in carpet slippers.

“He's very attached to his armchair,” sighed Rutherford.