Men at Arms (Discworld 15)
Page 240
'We've only got one sword between us,' said Carrot glumly.
They all stared at the floor.
'It's not fair,' said Angua. 'I don't care who stole whatever they stole from the Assassins, but he was right to try to find out who killed Mr Hammerhock And no-one cares about Lettice Knibbs.'
'I like to find out who shoot me,' said Detritus.
'Beats me why anyone'd be daft enough to steal from the Assassins,' said Carrot. 'That's what Captain Vimes said. He said you'd have to be a fool to think of breaking into that place.'
They stared at the floor again.
'Like a clown or a jester?' said Detritus.
'Detritus, he didn't mean a cap-and-bells Fool,' said Carrot, in a kindly voice. 'He just meant you'd have to be some sort of idi—'
He stopped. He stared at the ceiling.
'Oh, my,' he said. 'It's as simple as that?'
'Simple as what?' said Angua.
Someone hammered at the door. It wasn't a polite knock. It was the thumping of someone who was either going to have the door opened for them or break it down.
A guard stumbled into the room. Half his armour was off and he had a black eye, but he was just recognizable as Skully Muldoon of the Day Watch.
Colon helped him up.
'Been in a fight, Skully?'
Skully looked up at Detritus, and whimpered.
'The buggers attacked the Watch House!'
'Who?'
'Them!'
Carrot patted him on the shoulder.
'This isn't a troll,' he said. 'This is Lance-Constable Detritus – don't salute. Trolls attacked the Day Watch?'
'They're chucking cobbles!'
'You can't trust 'em,' said Detritus.
'Who?' said Skully.
'Trolls. Nasty pieces of work in my opinion,' said Detritus, with all the conviction of a troll with a badge. 'They need keeping a eye on.'
'What's happened to Quirke?' said Carrot.
'I don't know! You lot have got to do something'.'
'We're stood down,' said Colon. 'Official.'
'Don't give me that!'
'Ah,' said Carrot, brightly. He pulled a stub of pencil out of his pocket and made a little tick in his black book. 'You still got that little house in Easy Street, Sergeant Muldoon?'