Odd way of putting it, Nobby thought, but clearly this was how you were supposed to speak.

'At a time like this,' said a chair, 'the city will surely look at those representatives of its most venerable families. It would be in all our interests if such a one would take up the burden.'

'He'd need his head examined, if you want my opinion,' said Nobby. He took another swig of the brandy and waved the cigar expansively.

'Still, not to worry,' he said. 'Everyone knows we've got a king hanging around. No problem there. Send for Captain Carrot, that's my advice.'

Another evening folded over the city in layers of fog.

When Carrot arrived back at the Watch House Corporal Littlebottom made a face at him and indicated, with a flicker of her eyes, the three people sitting grimly on the bench against one wall.

They want to see an officer!' she hissed. 'But S'arnt Colon isn't back and I knocked on Mr Vimes's door and I don't think he's in.'

Carrot composed his features into a welcoming smile.

'Mrs Palm, he said. 'And Mr Boggis... and Dr Downey. I am so sorry. We're rather stretched at present, what with the poisoning and this business with the golems—'

The head of the Assassins' Guild smiled, but only with his mouth. 'It's about the poisoning we wish to speak,' he said. 'Is there somewhere a little less public?'

'Well, there's the canteen,' said Carrot. 'It'll be empty at this time of night. If you'd just step this way...'

'You do well for yourselves here, I must say,' said Mrs Palm. 'A canteen—'

She stopped as she stepped through the door.

'People eat in here?' she said.

'Well, grumble about the coffee, mostly,' said Carrot. 'And write their reports. Commander Vimes is keen on reports.'

'Captain Carrot,' said Dr Downey, firmly, 'we have to talk to you on a grave matter concerning— What have I sat in?'

Carrot brushed a chair hurriedly. 'Sorry, sir, we don't seem to have much time to clean up—'

'Leave it for now, leave it for now.'

The head of the Assassins' Guild leaned forward with his hands pressed together.

'Captain Carrot, we are here to discuss this terrible matter of the poisoning of Lord Vetinari.'

'You really ought to talk to Commander Vimes—'

'I believe that on a number of occasions Commander Vimes has made derogatory comments to you about Lord Vetinari,' said Dr Downey.

'You mean like He ought to be hung except they can't find a twisty enough rope ?' said Carrot. 'Oh, yes. But everyone does that.'

'Do you?'

'Well, no,' Carrot admitted.

'And I believe he personally took over the investigation of the poisoning?'

'Well, yes. But—'

'Didn't you think that was odd?'

'No, sir. Not when I thought about it. I think he's got a sort of soft spot for the Patrician, in his way. He once said that if anyone was going to kill Vetinari he'd like it to be him.'

'Indeed?'

'But he was smiling when he said it. Sort of smiling, anyway.'

'He, er, visits his lordship most days, I believe?'

'Yes, sir.'

'And I understand that his efforts to discover the poisoner have not reached any conclusions?'

'Not as such, sir,' said Carrot. 'We've found a lot of ways he's not being poisoned.'

Downey nodded at the others. 'We would like to inspect the Commander's office,' he said.

'I don't know if that's—' Carrot began.

'Please think very carefully,' said Dr Downey. 'We three represent most of the guilds of this city. We feel we have a good reason for inspecting the Commander's office. You will of course accompany us to see that we do nothing illegal.'

Carrot looked awkward. 'I suppose ... if I'm with you...' he said.

'That's right,' said Downey. 'That makes it official.'

Carrot led the way. 'I don't even know if he's back,' he said, opening the door. 'As I said, we've been... oh.'

Downey peered around him and at the figure slumped over the desk.

'It would appear that Sir Samuel is in,' he said. 'But quite out of it.'

'I can smell the drink from here,' said Mrs Palm. 'It's terrible what drink will do to a man.'

'A whole bottle of Bearhugger's finest,' said Mr Boggis. 'All right for some, eh?'

'But he hasn't touched a drop all year!' said Carrot, giving the recumbent Vimes a shake. 'He goes to meetings about it and everything!'

'Now let us see...' said Downey.

He pulled open one of the desk drawers.

'Captain Carrot?' he said. 'Can you witness that there appears to be a bag of greyish powder in here? I will now—'

Vimes's hand shot out and slammed the drawer on the man's fingers. His elbow rammed back into the assassin's stomach and, as Downey's chin jerked down, Vimes's forearm swung upwards and caught him full on the nose.

Then Vimes opened his eyes.

'Wassat? Wassat?' he said, raising his head. 'Dr Downey? Mr Boggis? Carrot? Hmm?'

'Hwat? Hwat?' screamed Downey. 'You hnsfruck me!'

'Oh, I'm so sorry,' said Vimes, concern radiating from every feature as he pushed the chair back into Downey's groin and stood up. ‘I'm afraid I must have dropped off and, of course, when I woke up and found someone stealing from...'

'You're raving drunk, man!' said Mr Boggis.

Vimes's features froze.

'Indeed? Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,' he snarled, prodding the man in the chest. 'A peck of bloody pickled peppers Peter Piper damn well picked. Do you want me to continue?' he said, poking the man until his back was against the wall. 'It doesn't get much better!'

'Hwhat about thif packet?' shouted Downey, clutching his streaming nose with one hand and waving at the desk with the other.

Vimes still wore a wild-eyed mirthless grin. 'Ah, well, yes,' he said. 'You've got me there. A highly dangerous substance.'

'Ah, you admit it!'

'Yes, indeed. I suppose I have no alternative but to dispose of the evidence...' Vimes grabbed the packet, ripped it open and tipped most of the powder into his mouth.

'Mmm mmm,' he said, powder spraying everywhere as he masticated. 'Feel that tingle on the tongue!'

'But that's arsenic,' said Boggis.

'Good gods, is it?' said Vimes, swallowing. 'Amazing! I've got this dwarf downstairs, you know, clever little bugger, spends all his time with pipes and chemicals and things to find out what is arsenic and what isn't, and all the time here's you able to spot it just by looking! I've got to hand it to you!'

He dropped the torn packet into Boggis's hand, but the thief jerked back and the packet tumbled to the floor, spraying its contents.

'Excuse me,' said Carrot. He knelt down and peered at the powder.

It is traditionally the belief of policemen that they can tell what a substance is by sniffing it and then gingerly tasting it, but this practice had ceased in the Watch ever since Constable Flint had dipped his finger into a blackmarket consignment of ammonium chloride cut with radium, said 'Yes, this is definitely slab wurble wurble sclup , and had to spend three days tied to his bed until the spiders went away.

Nevertheless, Carrot said, 'I'm sure this isn't poisonous,' licked his finger and tried a bit.

'It's sugar,' he said.

Downey, his composure severely compromised, waved a finger at Vimes. 'You admitted it was dangerous!' he screamed.

'Right! Take too much of it and see what it does to your teeth!' bellowed Vimes. 'What did you think it was?'

'We had information...' Boggis began.

'Oh, you had information, did you?' said Vimes.

'You hear that, Captain? They had information. So that's all right!'

'We acted in good faith,' said Boggis.

'Let me see,' said Vimes. 'Your information was something on the lines of: Vimes is dead drunk in the Watch House and he's got a bag of arsenic in his desk? And I'll just bet you wanted to act in good faith, eh?'