Night Watch

confusion. Unreconstructed elements, vital message not passed on, right hand not knowing what right hand doing, difficulties of the situation, regrettable. No, my dear Doctor, I do not intend to make any demands on your Guild. Fortunately, there are those whose loyalty to the city is a little less…conditional. Yes. And now, please, there is much to be done. I shall look forward to meeting you all later.”
    The crowd was ushered politely but firmly out of the room, and the doors shut behind it.
    “It seems we’re back at school,” muttered Doctor Follett as they were swept along the corridor.
    “ Ave! Duci novo, similis duci seneci, ” murmured Mr. Slant drily, as only a zombie can manage. “Or, as we used to say at school, ‘ Ave! Bossa nova, similis bossa seneca! ’” He gave a little schoolmasterly laugh. He felt at home with dead languages. “Of course, grammatically that is completely—”
    “And that means…?” said Madam.
    “‘Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss,’” muttered Doctor Follett.
    “I counsel patience,” said Slant. “He’s new in the job. He may settle into it. The city is good at working around problems. Give him time.”
    “And we want someone who is decisive,” said someone in the hurrying crowd.
    “We wanted someone who decides the right things,” said Madam. She elbowed her way to the front of the crowd, hurried down the main staircase, and darted into an anteroom.
    Miss Palm stood up as she came in.
    “Have they—” she began.
    “Where’s Havelock?” Madam demanded.
    “Here,” said Vetinari, detaching himself from a shadow by the curtains.
    “Take my coach. Find Keel. Warn him. Snapcase wants him dead!”
    “But where is—” Madam pointed a threatening, trembling finger.
    “Do it now or receive an aunt’s curse!”

    When the doors were shut, Lord Snapcase stared at them for some moments, and then pressed the bell for his chief secretary. The man insinuated himself into the room via the private door.
    “Everyone is settling in?” said Snapcase.
    “Yes, my lord. There are a number of matters for your attention.”
    “I am sure people would like to believe there are,” said Snapcase, leaning back in the chair. He shifted his weight from side to side. “Does this thing swivel?”
    “I believe not, sir, but I shall have a skilled swiveler here within the hour.”
    “Good. Now, what was the other thing…oh, yes. Tell me, are there any up-and-coming men in the Guild of Assassins?”
    “I am sure there are, my lord. Would you like me to prepare dossiers on, say, three of them?”
    “Do it.”
    “Yes, my lord. My lord, various people are urgently seeking an audience with—”
    “Let them wait. Now that we have the Patricianship, we mean to enjoy it.” Snapcase drummed his fingers on the edge of the desk for a moment, still staring at the doors. Then he said: “My inaugural speech is prepared? Very sorry hear unexpected death Winder, overwork, new direction, et cetera, keep best of old while embracing best of new, beware dangerous elements, sacrifices must be made, et cetera, pull together, good of city?”
    “Exactly, sir.”
    “Add that I was particularly sad to hear tragic death Sergeant Keel, hope that fitting memorial to him would be the uniting of citizens of all shades of opinion in an effort to, et cetera, et cetera.”
    The secretary made a few notes. “Quite, sir,” he said. Snapcase smiled at him.
    “I expect you’re wondering why I’ve taken you on even though you worked for my predecessor, eh?” he said.
    “No, sir,” said the secretary without looking up. He wasn’t wondering, firstly because he had a pretty good idea, and secondly because there were, in any case, things he found it safest not to wonder about.
    “It is because I recognize talent whenever it presents itself,” said Snapcase.
    “It is good of you to say so, sir,” said the secretary smoothly.
    “Many a rough stone can be polished into a gem.”
    “Exactly, my lord,” said the secretary, and he was thinking Exactly, my lord, too, because there were things he’d found it safest not to think, either, and these included phrases like What a little tit.
    “Where is my new Captain of the Guard?”
    “I believe Captain Carcer is in the rear courtyard, my lord, exhorting the men in no uncertain terms.”
    “Tell him I want to see him here now, ” said Snapcase.
    “Certainly, sir.”

    The barricade was taking some while to dismantle. Chair