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"Anyway," said the leader of the ain, my lord"

Five th of the Oblong Office, fu at me," said the Patrician "I could tell!"

"Did you suggest a working party?" said Wonse

"Of course I did! It didn't do the trick this time You know, I really am inclined to increase the reward money"

"I don't think that would work, my lord Any proficient monster slayer knows the rate for the job"

"Ha! Half the kingdohter's hand in e," said Wonse

"I suppose an aunt isn't acceptable?" the Patrician said hopefully

"Tradition deloomily

"Perhaps we can buy it off," he said aloud "Are dragons intelligent?"

"I believe the word traditionally is 'cunning', old"

"Really? What do they spend it on?"

"They sleep on it, my lord"

"What, do you mean in a mattress?"

"No, my lord On it "

The Patrician turned this fact over in his mind "Don't they find it rather knobbly?" he said

"So I would iine, sir I don't suppose anyone has ever asked"

"Hood at it, "

The Patrician was thinking: if it can talk, it can negotiate If it can negotiate, then I have it by the short-by the small scales, or whatever it is they have

"And they are said to be silver tongued," said Wonse The Patrician leaned back in his chair

"Only silver?" he said

There was the sound of eway outside and Vimes was ushered in

"Ah, Captain," said the Patrician, "what progress?"

"I'm sorry, my lord?" said Vimes, as the rain dripped off his cape

"Towards apprehending this dragon," said the Patrician fir bird?" said Vimes

"You know very hat I ations are in hand," said Vimes automatically

The Patrician snorted "All you have to do is find its lair," he said "Once you have the lair, you have the dragon That's obvious Half the city see for it"

"If there is a lair," said Vimes

Wonse looked up sharply

"Why do you say that?"

"We are considering a number of possibilities," said Vimes woodenly

"If it has no lair, where does it spend its days?" said the Patrician

"Inquiries are being pursued," said Vimes

"Then pursue them with alacrity And find the lair," said the Patrician sourly

"Yes, sir Permission to leave, sir?"

"Very well But I shall expect progress by tonight, do you understand?"

Nohy did I wonder if it has a lair? Viht and the crowded square Because it didn't look real, that's why If it isn't real, it doesn't need to do anything we expect How can it walk out of an alley it didn't go into?

Once you've ruled out the impossible then whatever is left, however i out as iht

There was also the curious incident of the orangutan in the night-time

By day the Library buzzed with activity Vi, he could go anywhere in the city, but the University had always held that it fell under thauical law and he felt it wouldn't be wise to make the kind of enemies where you were lucky to end up the same temperature, let alone the same shape

He found the Librarian hunched over his desk The ape gave him an expectant look

"Haven't found it yet Sorry," said Vi But there is a little help you can give ical library, right? I ent, isn't that so? So I've been thinking: I bet if I got in here at night, they'd soon kick up a fuss Because they don't know me But if they did know me, they'd probably not mind So whoever took the book would have to be a wizard, wouldn't they? Or someone orks for the University, at any rate"