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"All that?" said Rincewind "Yes" "Oh, no probleet to have the rest of the

day off, right?" "And I want a chest full of gold, too Just to be going on with" "I can see you've got it all thought out" "Yes Avaunt!" "Right, right Only -" Rincewind thought hurriedly, he's quite mad, but mad with a

sword in his hands, the only chance I've got is to argue him out of it on his own terms," -only, d'you see, I'm not a very superior kind of demon and I'ue, sorry You can avaunt as much as you like, but they're just beyond ure peered over the top of its glasses

"I see," he said testily "What could you e then, do you think?"

"Well, er -" said Rincewind, "I suppose I could go down to the shops and get a packet of "

There was a pause

"You really can't do all those things?"

"Sorry Look I'll tell you what You just release et back to -" Rincewind hesitated Where the hell did demons live, anyway? "Demon City," he said hopefully

"You mean Pandemoniuht That's what I meant I'll tell everyone, next time you're in the real world be sure and look up - what's your naht"

"Deist Midden Lane, Pseudopolis Next door to the tannery," said Thursley hopefully

"Right you are Don't you worry about it Now, if you'll just let me out -"

Thursley's face fell

"You're sure you really can't do it?" he said, and Rincewind couldn't help noticing the edge of pleading in his voice "Even a sold would do And, I mean, it needn't be the most beautiful woman in the whole of history Second most beautiful would do Or third You pick any one out of, you know, the top one hundr - thousand Whatever you've got in stock, sort of thing" By the end of the sentence his voice twanged with longing

Rinceanted to say: Look, what you should do is stop all thisaround with chemicals in dark rooms and have a shave, a haircut, a bath, et out of an evening and then - but he'd have to be honest, because even washed, shaved and soaked in body splash Thursley wasn't going to win any prizes - and then you could have your face slapped by any woman of your choice

I mean, it wouldn't be much, but it would be body contact

"Sorry," he said again

Thursley sighed "The kettle's on," he said "Would you like a cup of tea?"

Rincewind stepped forward into a crackle of psychic energy

"Ah," said Thursley uncertainly, as the wizard sucked his fingers, "I'll tell you what I'll put you under a conjuration of duress"

"There's no need, I assure you"

"No, it's best this way It means you can o and fetch, you know, her"

"Fine," said Rincewind As the deht: Feet Door Stairs What a great combination

It occurred to hiist that wasn't quite usual, but he couldn't put his finger on it He looked pretty ists Rincewind had known back in Ankh-Morpork, ere all bent and chemical-stained and had eyes with pupils like pinheads from all the chemical fumes This one would have fitted in easily It was just that there was so odd

"To be honest," said Thursley, industriouslyaway part of the circle, "you're my first demon It's never worked before What is your naht about this "It doesn't ring a bell," he said "There's a Riinjswin in the Des than you You can step out now I must say that's a first-class materialisation No-one would think you were a fiend, to look at you Most demons, when they want to look hus and princes This moth-eaten-wizard look is very clever You could've als"

"I can't see why you'd want to live for ever," said Rincewind, privately deter that the words "ot the opportunity "Being young again, I can understand that"

"Huh Being young's not much fun," said Thursley, and then clapped his hand over his

mouth

Rincewind leaned forward

About fifty years That as

"That's a false beard!" he said "How old are you?"