The Light Fantastic (Discworld 2)

Gancia drew a long thin knife and leaned down close to Twoflower's face.

'She wants it open,' he said. He looked up at the other man and grinned.

'She wants it open, Weems.'

'Yah.'

Gancia waved the knife slowly in front of Twoflower's face.

'Look,' said Twoflower patiently, 'I don't think you understand. No-one can open the Luggage if it's feeling in a locked mood.'

'Oh yes, I forgot,' said Gancia thoughtfully. 'Of course, it's a magic box, isn't that right? With little legs, they say. I say, Weems, any legs your side? No?'

He held his knife to Twoflower's throat.

'I'm really upset about that,' he said. 'So's Weems. He doesn't say much but what he does is, he tears bits off people. So open – the – box!'

He turned and planted a kick on the side of the box, leaving a nasty gash in the wood.

There was a tiny little click.

Gancia grinned. The lid swung up slowly, ponderously. The distant firelight gleamed off gold – lots of gold, in plate, chain, and coin, heavy and glistening in the flickering shadows.

'All right,' said Gancia softly.

He looked back at the unheeding men around the fire, who seemed to be shouting at someone outside the cave. Then he looked speculatively at Weems. His lips moved soundlessly with the unaccustomed effort of mental arithmetic.

He looked down at his knife.

Then the floor moved.

'I heard someone,' said one of the men. 'Down there. Among the – uh – rocks.'

Rincewind's voice floated up out of the darkness.

'I say,' he said.

'Well?' said Herrena.

'You're in great danger!' shouted Rincewind. 'You must put the fire out!'

'No, no,' said Herrena. 'You've got it wrong, you're in great danger. And the fire stays.'

'There's this big old troll —'

'Everyone knows trolls keep away from fire,' said Herrena. She nodded. A couple of men drew their swords and slipped out into the darkness.

Well,' said Kwartz, 'you humans have something you can do, I mean like when we slow right down and catch philosophy, only you just fall to bits —'

'Dying, it's called!' screamed Rincewind.

'That's it. They haven't done that, because they're not here.'

'Unless they were eaten!' suggested Jasper excitedly.

'Hmm,' said Kwartz, and, 'Wolves?' said Rincewind.

'We flattened all the wolves around here years ago,' said the troll. 'Old Grandad did, anyway.'