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'What gets me is that he wasthe line again They stared at the drinks They drank the drinks

Because the fact was that, despite all evidence to the contrary, murder was not a commonplace occurrence in Ankh-Morpork There were, it was true, assassinations And as aforesaid there were many ways one could inadvertently commit suicide And there were occasional doht a cheaper alternative to divorce There were all these things, but at least they had a reason, however unreasonable

'Big ood citizen, too Wasn't always stirring up old trouble like Mr Stronginthearot a workshop in Rieant Colon

They stared at the drinks They drank the drinks

'What I want to know is,' said Angua, 'what put that hole in hi like that,' said Colon

'Hadn't soua

'Captain Vi it,' said Carrot 'He said he wouldn't ask anyone else to do it'

'Rather him thanclock They can be fearsoers'

Everyone nodded glooer by adoption

They stared at the drinks They drank the drinks

'Shouldn't we be finding out who did it?' said Angua

'Why?' said Nobby

She opened and shut her mouth once or twice, and finally caain?'

'It wasn't an assassination, was it?' said Cuddy

'No,' said Carrot 'They always leave a note By law'

They looked at the drinks They drank the drinks

'What a city,' said Angua

'It all works, that's the funny thing,' said Carrot 'D'you knohen I first joined the Watch I was so si?'

'Sounds good to ua

'Got into a bit of trouble for that,' said Carrot

'You see,' said Colon, 'thieves are organized here I mean, it's official They're allowed a certain a Not that they do much these days, ive you a card and leave you alone Saves time and effort all round'

'And all thieves are ua

'Oh, yes,' said Carrot 'Can't go thieving in Ankh-Morpork without a Guild perot a special talent'

'Why? What happens? What talent?' she said

'Well, like being able to survive being hung upside down froates with your ears nailed to your knees,' said Carrot

Then Angua said: 'That's terrible'

'Yes, I know But the thing is,' said Carrot, 'the thing is: it works The whole thing Guilds and organized cri It all seems to work'

'Didn't work for Mr Haeant Colon

They looked at their drinks Very slowly, like athe first step towards resurrection as a million Save The Trees leaflets, Detritus toppled backwards with his e in position, he didn't move a muscle

'It's the sulphur,' said Cuddy, without looking around 'It goes right to their heads'

Carrot thuht to do so!'

'We could nick his boots,' said Nobby

'I mean about Mr Hammerhock'

'Oh, yeah, yeah,' said Nobby 'You sound like old Vimesy If as to worry about every dead body in this town--'

'But not like this!' snapped Carrot 'Nor, stuff like that But he was just a dwarf! Pillar of the co swords and axes and burial weapons and crossbows and torture i hole in his chest! Who's going to do anything about it, if not us?'

'You been putting anything in your milk?' said Colon 'Look, the dwarfs can sort it out It's like Quarry Lane Don't stick your nose where someone can pull it off and eat it'

'We're the City Watch,' said Carrot 'That doesn't mean just that part of the city who happens to be over four feet tall and made of flesh!'

'No dwarf did it,' said Cuddy, aying gently 'No troll, neither' He tried to tap the side of his nose, and s on'

'Captain Viated,' said Carrot

'Captain Vi to learn to be a civilian,' said Nobby

'Well, I'ot off his stool

He hopped He ju Then the words ed to come out

'My foot!'

'What about your foot?'

'So stuck in it!'

He hopped backwards, clutching at one sandal, and fell over Detritus

'You'd be aet stuck to your boots in this town,' said Carrot

'There's soua 'Stop waving it about, you silly er

'Bit of card or so pin in it You picked it up sohthere'

'Bit of card?' said Carrot

'There's soua scraped away the mud

'GONNE'