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'I knohat I'rimly 'I was there when it happened before, et theot a lot of tian, but he was interrupted by a blow from a rubber brick

'Wannapottywanna if Lu-Tze is right, then wethen we have time to spare, is this not so? Pottynoanna!'

'Thank you,' said the sweeper He cupped his hands 'Oi! You lot! Spindle two, fourth bhing, round about the nineteenth gupa! And jump to it!'

'I really must respectfully protest, your reverence,' said the acolyte 'We have practised for just such an e procedures for e reat pains to-'

'You always leave out the daency' Lu-Tze turned back to the hall and the apprehensive workers 'Ready? Good! Put it on the floor now! Or I shall have to come down there! And I don't want to have to come down there!' There was some frantic activity by the men around the cylinders, and a new pattern replaced the one below the balcony The lines and colours were in different places, but a blue-white circle occupied the centre 'There,' said Lu-Tze 'That was less than ten days before the clock struck' There was silence frorimly 'And ten days later-'

'Ti it,' said Lu-Tze He'd gone red in the face One of the ht, Sweeper,' he said soothingly 'We know you couldn't have got there in ti in time is supposed to be e do,' said Lu-Tze 'I was nearly at the dah ti of the present 'It wasn't your fault,' said the monk Lu-Tze shook the hand free and turned to face the abbot over the shoulder of the chief acolyte 'I want perht now, reverend sir!' he said He tapped his nose 'I've got the s for this all these years! You won't findthis time!'

In the silence the abbot blew a bubble 'It'll be in Uberwald again,' said Lu-Tze, a hint of pleading in his voice 'That's where they mess around with the electrick I know every inch of that place! Give ht in the bud!'

'BababababaThis needs discussion, Lu-Tze, but we thank you for your offer babababa,' said the abbot 'Rinpo, I want all bdumbdumbdum senior field monks in the Room of Silence within five babababdumbdum harmoniously?' One of the monks looked up from a scroll he'd been handed 'It appears so, your reverence'

'My congratulations to the boardis dead,'bubbles 'That is sad news And he was a friend of yours, I understand'

'Shouldn't've happened like that,' the sweeper muttered 'Shouldn't've happened like that'

'Compose yourself, Lu-Tze I will talk to you shortly Bikkit! The chief acolyte, spurred on by a blow across the ear with a rubber an to thin out as they went about their duties Lu-Tze and Lobsang were left on the balcony, looking down at the rippling Mandala Lu-Tze cleared his throat 'See them spinners at the end?' he said 'The little one records the patterns for a day, and then anything interesting is stored in the big ones'

'I just pre to say that'

'Good word Good word The lad has talent' Lu-Tze lowered his voice 'Anyone watching us?' Lobsang looked around 'There's a few people still here' Lu-Tze raised his voice again 'You been taught anything about the Big Crash?'

'Only rumours, Sweeper'

'Yeah, there were a lot of ru' Lu-Tze sighed 'Y'know, ht is lies It has to be Soet the truth all at once, you can't understand it You knew Ankh-Morpork pretty well, did you? Ever go to the opera house?'

'Only for pickpocket practice, Sweeper'

'Ever wonder about it? Ever look at that little theatre just over the road? Called The Dysk, I think'

'Oh, yes! We got penny tickets and sat on the ground and threw nuts at the stage'

'And it didn'torchestras, and then there's this little thatched theatre, all bare wood and no seats and one bloke playing a crued 'Well, no That's just how things are' Lu-Tze als, hu what they can stretch to fit We did a fine job there-'

'Lu-Tze?' One of the lesser acolytes aiting respectfully 'The abbot will see you now,' he said 'Ah, right,' said the sweeper He nudged Lobsang and whispered, 'We're going to Ankh- Morpork, lad'

'What? But you said you wanted to be sent to-' Lu-Tze winked '

'cos it is written, "Theet," see There'sit with pling, lad'

'Is there?'