Moss had grown over the wooden markers of the other six, but it had been scraped off the central one, revealing the name: JOHN KEEL.
And carved underneath by someone who had taken some pains, was: How Do They Rise Up.
A huge wreath of lilac flowers, bound with purple ribbon, had been placed on the grave. On top of it, tied round with another piece of purple ribbon, was an egg.
“Mrs Palm and Mrs Battye and some of the girls were up here earlier,” said Dibbler. “And of course Madam always makes sure there’s the egg.”
“It’s nice, the way they always remember,” said Sergeant Colon.
The three stood in silence. They were not, on the whole, men with a vocabulary designed for times like this. After awhile, though, Nobby felt moved to speak.
“He gave me a spoon once,” he said, to the air in general.
“Yeah, I know,” said Colon.
“My dad pinched it off me when he come out of prison, but it was my spoon,” said Nobby persistently. “That means a lot to a kid, your own spoon.”
“Come to that, he was the first person to make me a sergeant,” said Colon. “Got busted again, of course, but I knew I could do it again then. He was a good copper.”
“He bought a pie off me, first week I was starting out,” said Dibbler. “Ate it all. Didn’t spit out anything.”
There was more silence.
After awhile, Sergeant Colon cleared his throat, a general signal to indicate that some sort of appropriate moment was now over. There was a general relaxation of muscles.
- Terry Pratchett, Night Watch
