'Even so, he shouldn't have cursed you quite so badly,' Twoflower added.
'Oh. Yes, well.' The shopkeeper straightened his apron and made a brave little attempt to pull himself together. 'Anyway, this isn't getting you to Ankh-Morpork, is it?'
'Funny thing is,' said Twoflower, 'that I bought my Luggage in a shop like this, once. Another shop, I mean.'
'Oh yes, there's several of us,' said the shopkeeper, turning back to the table, 'that sorcerer was a very impatient man, I understand.'
'Endlessly roaming through the universe,' mused Twoflower.
'That's right. Mind you, there is a saving on the rates.'
'Rates?'
'Yes, they're—' the shopkeeper paused, and wrinkled his forehead. 'I can't quite remember, it was such a long time ago. Rates, rates —'
'Very large mice?'
'That's probably it.'
'Hold on – it's thinking about something,' said Cohen.
Lackjaw looked up wearily. It had been quite nice, sitting here in the shade. He had just worked out that in trying to escape from a city of crazed madmen he had appeared to have allowed one mad man to give him his full attention. He wondered whether he would live to regret this.
He earnestly hoped so.
'Oh yes, it's definitely thinking,' he said bitterly. 'Anyone can see that.'
'I think it's found them.'
'Oh, good.'
'Hold onto it.'
'Are you mad?' said Lackjaw.
'I know this thing, trust me. Anyway, would you rather be left with all these star people? They might be interested in having a talk with you.'
Cohen sidled over to the Luggage, and then flung himself astride it. It took no notice.
'Hurry up,' he said. 'I think it's going to go.'
Lackjaw shrugged, and climbed on gingerly behind Cohen.
'Oh?' he said, 'and how does it g —'
Ankh-Morpork!
Pearl of cities!
This is not a completely accurate description, of course – it was not round and shiny – but even its worst enemies would agree that if you had to liken Ankh-Morpork to anything, then it might as well be a piece of rubbish covered with the diseased secretions of a dying mollusc.
There have been bigger cities. There have been richer cities. There have certainly been prettier cities. But no city in the multiverse could rival Ankh-Morpork for its smell.
The Ancient Ones, who know everything about all the universes and have smelt the smells of Calcutta and !Xrc —! and dauntocum Marsport, have agreed that even these fine examples of nasal poetry are mere limericks when set against the glory of the Ankh-Morpork smell.
You can talk about ramps. You can talk about garlic. You can talk about France. Go on. But if you haven't smelled Ankh-Morpork on a hot day you haven't smelled anything.
The citizens are proud of it. They carry chairs outside to enjoy it on a really good day. They puff out their cheeks and slap their chests and comment cheerfully on its little distinctive nuances. They have even put up a statue to it, to commemorate the time when the troops of a rival state tried to invade by stealth one dark night and managed to get to the top of the walls before, to their horror, their nose plugs gave out. Rich merchants who ave spent many years abroad sent back home for specially-stoppered and sealed bottles of the stuff, which brings tears to their eyes.