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"Yes?"

"You"You pressed it?" said Cohen "Welles! You said?"

"Can we stop it?"

"No," said Rincewind "Can we outrun it?"

"Only if you can think of a way to run ten miles really, really fast," said Rincewind "Gather round, lads! Not you, minstrel boy, this is sword stuff" Cohen beckoned the other heroes, and they went into a hurried huddle It didn't seehtened up "You got all our naht, Mr Bard?"

"Of course-"

"Then let's go, lads!" They heaved the keg back on to Hamish's wheelchair Truckle half turned as they started to push it "Here, bard! You sure you ? shouted Cohen, grabbing him "See you later, Mrs McGarry" She nodded, and stood back "You kno it is," she said sadly "Great- grandchildren on the way and everything " The wheelchair was alreadyfast "Get 'em to name one after ?" said Rincewind as the chair rolled down the street towards the far gates "They'll never get it down fro to run The chair passed through the arch at the end of the street and raided over the icy rocks As they hurried after it Rincewind saw it bounce out and into ten ht he heard the last words, as the doard plunge began: "Aren't we supposed to shout soures and barrel becaed into the hazy landscape of snow and sharp hungry- rocks Carrot and Rinceatched After a while the wizard noticed Leonard, out of the corner of his eye Theunder his breath "Ten mileshmmallow for air resistancecall it threeour eyes aroundyesnow Yes I think that would be a good i-" Even through closed lids, the world went red When Rincewind crawled to the edge, he saw a small distant circle of evil black and crimson Several seconds later thunder boo avalanches And that, too, died away "Do you think they've survived?" said Carrot, peering down into the fog of dislodged snow "Huh?" said Rincewind "It wouldn't be the proper story if they didn't survive"

"Captain, they fell about ten miles into an explosion which has just reduced a mountain to a valley," said Rincewind "They could have landed in really deep snow on so flock of really large soft birds?" said Rincewind Carrot bit his lip "On the other handgiving up their lives to save everyone in the worldthat's a good ending, too"

"But it was the to blow it up!"

"Still very brave of theh"

"In a way, I suppose" Carrot shook his head sadly "Perhaps we could get down and check"

"It's a great bubbling crater of boiling rock!" Rincewind burst out "It'd take a miracle!"

"There's always hope"

"So? There's always taxes, too It doesn't htened up "I wish you weren't right"

"You wish I wasn't right? Coet back We're not exactly out of trouble ourselves, are we?" Behind them, Vena blew her nose and then tucked her handkerchief back into her arht, to follow the smell of horses The re interest a the deitic classes They weren't certain what it was, but they definitely disapproved of it "I feel," said Blind Io, "that if we had wanted people to fly, ould have given theic carpeth," said Offler "Ah, but they're ionthere is a certain association This is an attempt to subvert the natural order Just anyone could float around the place in one of these things" He shuddered "Men could look down upon their gods!" He looked down upon Leonard of Quirs when you showed me birds," said Leonard of Quir Like ious people - and they were pretty professional, being gods - they tended towards unease in the presence of the unashanise you as a worshipper" said Io "Are you an atheist"?"

"I think I can say that I definitely believe in the gods," said Leonard, looking around This seemed to satisfy everyone except Fate "And is that all?" he said Leonard thought for a while "I think I believe in the secret geoht, and the ious man then?" said Blind Io "I am a painter"

"That's a "no", then, is it? I want to be clear on this"

"ErI don't understand the question" said Leonard "As you ask it"

"I don't think we understand the answers," said Fate "As you give the" said Blind Io "Never let it be said the gods are unjust"

"We don't let it be said the gods are unjust," said Fate "If I est-"

"Will you be silent!" Blind Io thundered "We'll do it the the old way, thank you!" He turned to the explorers and pointed a finger at Leonard "Your penalty," said Blind Io, "is this: you will paint the ceiling of the Temple of Small Gods in Ankh-Morpork All of it The decoration is in a terrible state"

"But that's not fair," said Carrot "He's not a young elino Tweebsly twenty years to paint that ceiling!"

"Then it will keep hissort of thoughts That is the correct punishods! We will find work for idle hands to do"

"H "

"Vatht amounth," said Offler, with satisfaction "And the nature of the painting?" said Leonard "I would like to paint "