Themis-Athena's Garden of Books

"And there's the sign, Ridcully," said the Dean. "you have read it, I assume.  You know?  The sign which says 'Do not, under any circumstances, open this door'?"

"Of course I've read it," said Ridcully. "Why d'yer think I want it opened?"

"Er ... why?" said the Lecturer in Recent Runes.

"To see why they wanted it shut, of course."*

 

*This exchange contains almost all you need to know about human civilization.  At least, those bits of it that are not under the sea, fenced off or still smoking.

 

[...]

 

"I'm in charge here and I want a bathroom of my own," said Ridcully firmly. "And that's all there is to it, all right?  I want a bathroom in time for Hogswatchnight, understand?"

And that's a problem with beginnings, of course.  Sometimes, when you're dealing with occult realms that have quite a different attitude to time, you get the effect a little way before the cause.

Oh, it's good to be back with Sir Terry at the height of his powers -- I feel like sharing every other page.  And of course Ridcully would have done better curbing his curiosity about that door ...