The Truth (Discworld 25)

'Not one like that, no! He's got two thumbs on his right hand!'

'He's from Uberwald,' said the sergeant. 'Igors are very much into self-improvement. Fine surgeons, though. Just don't shake hands with one in a thunderstorm--'

'Here we are, then,' said Igor, lurching back. 'Who first?'

'Lord Vetinari?' said William.

'He's still athleep,' said Igor.

'What, after all this time?'

'Not surprithing. It was a nasty blow he had--'

Sergeant Angua coughed loudly.

'I thought he fell off a horse,' said William.

'Well, yes... and caught himthelf a blow when he hit the floor, I've no doubt,' said Igor, glancing at Angua.

He turned the key.

Lord Vetinari lay on a narrow bed. His face looked pale but he seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

'He's not woken up at all?' said William.

'No. I look in on him every fifteen minutes or tho. It can

be like that. Sometimeth the body just says: thleep.'

'I heard he hardly ever sleeps,' said William.

'Maybe he's taking the opportunity,' said Igor, gently closing the door.

He unlocked the next cell.

Drumknott was sitting up in bed, his head bandaged. He was drinking some soup. He looked startled when he saw them, and nearly spilled it.

'And how are we?' said Igor, as cheerfully as a face full of stitches can allow.

'Er, I'm feeling much better...' The young man looked from one face to another, uncertain.

'Mr de Worde here would like to talk to you,' said Sergeant Angua. 'I'll go and help Igor sort out his eyeballs. Or something.'

William was left in an awkward silence. Drumknott was one of those people with no discernible character.

'You're Lord de Worde's son, aren't you?' said Drumknott. 'You write that news sheet.'

'Yes,' said William. It seemed he'd always be his father's son. 'Um. They say Lord Vetinari stabbed you.'

'So they say,' said the clerk.

'You were there, though.'

'I knocked on the door to take him his copy of the paper as he'd requested, his lordship opened it, I walked into the room... and the next thing I know I was waking up here with Mr Igor looking at me.'

That must have come as a shock,' said William, with a momentary flash of pride that the Times had figured in this in some small way.

'They say I'd have lost the use of my arm if Igor hadn't been so good with a needle,' said Drumknott earnestly.