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Nobby looked innocent "Well, I thought we o out It's a shame to waste-"

"Take it off hi 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 so rather shabby, it still meant that Vi order had h, so that noas 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'tthe Assassins, Thieves, Merchants and all the other things that had floated to the top of society He never knehat to talk about Anyway, the teacher was restful company since he didn't do much but clench and unclench his hands occasionally, and whi with your neck, Captain?" said the chief beggar politely, as they waited for the coaches

"What?" said Vi upwards," said the beggar

"Har 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 aar It was the differentials that did for you Low-grade beggarson pennies, but people tended to look the other hen you asked theht

Vimes resuh Priest of Blind Io, who last night by dint of elaborate ecuuht to crown the king, fussed over his preparations By the soat was peacefully chewing the cud and possibly thinking, in Goat: What a lucky billy goat I aoing to be so to tell the kids

Vis

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, ast 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 nuht 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 complicated than at home, and now I a to watch the Coronation with Reet, but it does not do to coon anyson, Carrot PS Have you seen anything of Minty lately?

"You idiot!"

"Sorry," said Vi back into their seats,him furious looks Wonse hite with fury

"How could you have been so stupid? " he raged

Viht I saw-" he began

"It was a raven! You knohat ravens are? There , you see, the size wasn't easy to-" Viht to have knohat loud noises do to him!" The head of the Teachers' Guild had to be led away by so out like that!" Wonse went on

"Look, I said I'm sorry! It was an honest mistake!"

"I've had to hold up the procession and everything!"

Vi He could feel hundreds of amused or unsympathetic eyes on hi back to the Yard-"

Wonse's eyes narrowed "No," he snapped "But you can go home, if you like Or anywhere your fancies take you Give e"

"Huh?"

Wonse held out his hand

"Your badge," he repeated

"My badge?"

"That's what I said I want to keep you out of trouble"

Vie!"

"And you're going to give it to "

"What d'youin his own voice

Wonse scowled "But he will," he said "And I don't expect he'll even bother to appoint a successor"

Vihed it in his hand, and then tossed it to Wonse without a word

For arebelled He turned, and stalked off through the crowd