The Fifth Elephant (Discworld 24)

I wish there was something to keep me warm, he thought. The thoughts came slowly, like drips of freezing water. He felt that ice would crackle off him if he moved, that frost would sparkle in his footsteps, that his mind was full of crisp snow.

"And now, madam," he said, turning back to the Baroness, "you will give me the Scone of Stone."

"He"ll be back!" hissed the Baroness. "That fall was nothing! And he"ll find you."

"For the last time... the stone of the dwarfs.

The wolves are waiting out there. The dwarfs are waiting down in the city. Give me the stone, and we all might survive. This is diplomacy. Don"t let me try anything else."

"I have only to say the word - "

Angua began to growl.

Sybil strode towards the Baroness and grabbed her. "You never answered a single letter! All those years I wrote to you!"

The Baroness stared at her in amazement, as people so often did when struck with Sybil"s sharp non sequiturs.

"If you know we"ve got the Scone," she said to Vimes, "then you know it"s not the real one. And much good may it do the dwarfs!"

"Yes, you had it made in Ankh-Morpork. Made in Ankh-Morpork! They should have stamped it on the bottom. But someone killed the man who did it. That"s murder. It"s against the law." Vimes nodded at the Baroness. "It"s a thing we have."

Gaspode dragged himself out of the water and stood; shivering, on the shingle. Every single part of him felt bruised. There was a nasty ringing noise in his ears. Blood dripped down one leg.

The last few minutes had been a little hazy, but he did recall they"d involved a lot of water that had hit him like hammers.

He shook himself. His coat jangled where the water was already freezing.

Out of habit, he walked over to the nearest tree and, wincing, raised a leg.

E XCUSE ME .

A busy, reflective silence followed.

"That was not a good thing you just did," said Gaspode.

I "M SORRY. P ERHAPS THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT MOMENT.

"Not for me, no. You may have caused some physical damage here."

I T"S HARD TO KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

"Trees don"t normally talk back, is my point." Gaspode sighed. "So what happens now?"

I BEG YOUR PARDON?

"I"m dead, right?"

N O. N O ONE IS MORE SURPRISED THAN ME, I MAY SAY, BUT YOUR TIME DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE NOW.

Death pulled out an hourglass, held it up against the cold stars for a moment, and stalked away along the riverbank.

"scuse me, there"s no chance of a lift, is there?" said Gaspode, struggling after him.

N ONE WHATSOEVER.

"Only, being a short dog in deep snow is not good for the of wossnames, if you get my - "

Death had stopped at a little bay. An indistinct shape lay in a few inches of water.