Theres no stink more sorrorful than the stink of wet, burnt paper. It means: the end.

His movements could be called cat-like, except that he did not stop to spray urine up against things.

He talks pretty big for a gutter wizard," he muttered. "You don't understand at all," said the wizard wearily. "I'm so scared of you my spine has turned to jelly, it's just that I'm suffering from an overdose of terror right now. I mean, when I've got over that then I'll have time to be decently frightened of you.

He was, he would be the first to admit, a coward, an incompetent, and not even very good at being a failure.

He never pays attention, he always knows the answer, and he can never tell you how he knows. We can't keep thrashing him. He is a bad example to the other pupils. There's no educating a smart boy.

Sergeant Colon of the Ankh-Morpork City Guard was on duty. He was guarding the Brass Bridge, the main link between Ankh and Morpork. From theft. When it came to crime prevention, Sergeant Colon found it safest to think big.

The trouble with thinking was that, once you started, you went on doing it.