Rincewind preferred running to hiding. Hiding was all very well, but if you were found then you were stuck.

“It’s not as simple as that. It’s not a black-and-white issue. There are so many shades of gray.”

“There’s no grays, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.”

“It’s a lot more complicated than that-“

“No. It ain’t. When people say things are more complicated than that, they means they’re getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.”

“Oh, I’m sure there are worse crimes-“

“But they starts with thinking about people as things…”

‘That’s horrid’. Horrible, thought Susan. The word is “horrible.” “Horrid” is a childish word selected to impress nearby males with one’s fragility, if I’m any judge. She knew it was unkind and counter-productive of her to think like that. She also knew it was probably an accurate observation, which only made it worse.

The class was learning about some revolt in which some peasants had wanted to stop being peasants and, since the nobles had won, had stopped being peasants *really quickly*.

“I said it’s uncertain death.”

“Is that worse than certain death?”

“Much. Watch.” Susan picked up a hammer that was lying on the floor and poked it gently towards the clock. It vibrated in her hand when she brought it closer, and she swore under her breath as it was dragged from her fingers and vanished. Just before it did there was a brief, contracting ring around the clock that might have been something like a hammer would be if you rolled it very flat and bent it into a circle.

“Have you any idea why that happened?” she said.

“No.”

“Nor have I. Now imagine you were that hammer. Uncertain death, see?”

An appointment is an engagement to see someone, while a morningstar is a large lump of metal used for viciously crushing skulls. It is important not to confuse the two

Nanny Ogg looked under her bed in case there was a man there. Well, you never knew your luck.

‘Listen to me will you? I know about people who talk about suffering for the common good. It’s never bloody them!’

‘When you hear a man shouting “Forward, brave comrades!” you’ll see he’s the one behind the bloody big rock and wearing the only really arrow-proof helmet! Understand?’

He stopped. The cadre were looking at him as if he was mad. He stared at their young, keen faces, and felt very, very old.

‘But there are causes worth dying for’ said Butterfly

‘No, there aren’t! Because you’ve only got one life but you can pick up another five causes on any street corner!’

‘Good grief, how can you live with a philosophy like that?’

Rincewind took a deep breath.

‘Continuously!’