Page 33 (1/2)

'What, that it's all settled?' said Cuddy 'Oh, yeah We ht as well be off OK, Detritus?'

Detritus was staring round This was a norht to arrive

The syllables of his name kicked a neuron into fitful activity

'What?' he said

'It's all settled'

'What is?'

'You know – Mr Ha'

'Is it?'

'Yes!'

'Oh'

Detritus considered this for a while, nodded, and settled back into whatever state of ave a fizzle

'Right,' he said

Cuddy watched him for a moment

'That's about it,' he said, sadly 'That's all we're getting'

'I'll be back shortly,' said Carrot 'Shall we be offJoey, wasn't it? Dr Whiteface?'

'I suppose there's no harm,' said Dr Whiteface 'Very well Show Corporal Carrot anything he likes, Boffo'

'Right, sir,' said the little clown

'Ita clown,' said Carrot

'Must it?'

'Lots of japes and jokes, I ave Carrot a lopsided look

'Well' he said 'It has its moments'

'I bet it does I bet it does'

'Are you often on gate duty, Boffo?' said Carrot pleasantly, as they strolled through the Fools' Guild

'Huh! Just about all the time,' said Boffo

'So when did that friend of his, you know, the Assassinvisit him?'

'Oh, you know about him, then,' said Boffo

'Oh, yes,' said Carrot

'About ten days ago,' said Boffo 'It's through here, past the pie range'

'He'd forgotten Beano's name, but he did know the rooht to it,' Carrot went on

'That's right I expect Dr Whiteface told you,' said Boffo

'I've spoken to Dr Whiteface,' said Carrot

Angua felt she was beginning to understand the way Carrot asked questions He asked theht or suspected, and they found the in the details in an attempt to keep up And he never, actually, told lies

Boffo pushed open a door and fussed around lighting a candle

'Here we are then,' he said 'I'ate'

'Ye gods,' said Angua, under her breath 'It's horrible'

'It's very interesting,' said Carrot

'It's historical,' said Boffo the clown

All those little heads'

They stretched away in the candlelight, shelf on shelf of them, tiny little clown faces – as if a tribe of head-hunters had suddenly developed a sophisticated sense of humour and a desire to s,' said Carrot 'Ordinary hens' eggs What you do is, you get a hen's egg, and youstuff out, and then a clown paints hisand that's his official make-up and no other clown can use it That's very ienerations, you know Very valuable thing, a clown's face Isn't that so, Boffo?'

The cloas staring at him

'How do you know all that?'

'I read it in a book'

Angua picked up an ancient egg There was a label attached to it, and on the label were a dozen names, all crossed out except the last one The ink on the earlier ones had faded al She put it down and unconsciously wiped her hand on her tunic

'What happens if a cloants to use another clown's face?' she said

'Oh, we cos with the ones on the shelves,' said Boffo 'It's not allowed'

They walked between aisles of faces Angua fanded she could hear the squelch of a million custard-filled trousers and the echoes of a thousand honking noses and aAbout halfway along was a sort of alcove containing a desk and chair, a shelf piled with old ledgers, and a workbench covered with crusted pots of paint, scraps of coloured horsehair, sequins and other odds and ends of the egg-painter's spedalized art Carrot picked up a wisp of coloured horsehair and twiddled it thoughtfully

'But supposing,' he said, 'that a clown, Ihe used another clown's face?'

'Pardon?' said Boffo

'Supposing you used another clown's ua

'Oh, that happens all the ti slap off each other--'

'Slap?' said Angua

'Make-up,' Carrot translated 'No, I think what the lance-constable is asking, Boffo, is: could a clown make himself up to look like another clown?'

Boffo's brorinkled, like so hard to understand an impossible question

'Pardon?'

'Where's Beano's egg, Boffo?'

'That's here on the desk,' said Boffo 'You can have a look if you like'

An egg was handed up It had a blobby red nose and a red wig Angua saw Carrot hold it up to the light and produce a couple of red strands fro one et Boffo to understand, 'couldn't you wake up oneand put on make-up so that you looked like a different clown?'

He looked at her It was hard to tell his expression under the perht as well have suggested that he performed a specific sex act with a small chicken