Guards Guards - p247-248

“Can dragons read minds?” whispered Vimes.

“I'm sure mine understand every word I say,” hissed Lady Ramkin. “Oh, no! The silly old fool is giving it the crown!”

“But isn't that a smart move?” said Vimes. “Dragons like gold. It's like throwing a stick for a dog, isn't it?”

“Oh dear,” said Sybil Ramkin. “It might not, you know. Dragons have such sensitive mouths.”

The great dragon blinked at the tiny circle of gold.

Then, with extreme delicacy, it extended one metre-long claw and hooked the thing out of the priest's trembling fingers.

“What d'you mean, sensitive?” said Vimes, watching the claw travel slowly towards the long, horse-like face.

“A really incredible sense of taste. They're so, well, chemically orientated.”

“You mean it can probably taste gold?” whispered Vimes, watching the crown being carefully licked.

“Oh, certainly. And smell it.”

Vimes wondered what the chances were of the crown being made of gold. Not high, he decided. Gold foil over copper, perhaps. Enough to fool human beings. And then he wondered what someone's reaction would be if they were offered sugar which turned out, once you'd put three spoonfuls in your coffee, to be salt.

The dragon removed the claw from its mouth in one graceful movement and caught the high priest, who was just sneaking away, a blow which knocked him high into the air. When he was screaming at the top of the arc the great mouth came around and-“Gosh!” said Lady Ramkin.

***

Guards Guards - p247