Rincewind leaned down and tapped it.

'Hello?' he said. He looked up at the others.

'Well, the one in the Dean's office can sing comic songs,' he said defensively. He stared at the paperwork on the desk. It was covered in symbols which had a magical look, although he didn't recognise any of them. On the other side of the room, the Librarian was leafing through one of the books. Strangely, they weren't on shelves. Some were neatly piled, others locked in boxes, or at least in boxes that were locked until the Librarian tried to lift the lid.

Occasionally he pursed his lips and blew a disdainful raspberry.

'Ook,' he muttered.

'Alchemy?' said Rincewind. 'Oh dear. That stuff never works.' He lifted up what looked like a small leather hatbox, and removed the lid. 'This is more like it!' he said, and pulled out a ball of smoky quartz. 'Our man is definitely a wizard!'

'This is very bad,' said Ponder, staring at a device in his hand. "Very, very bad indeed.'

'What is?' said Rincewind, turning around quickly.

'I'm reading a very high glamour quotient,' said Ponder.

'There's elves here?'

'Here? The place is practically elvish!' said Ponder. 'The Archchancellor was right.'

All three explorers stood quietly. The Librarian's nostrils flared. Rincewind sniffed, very cautiously.

'Seems okay to me,' he said, at last.

Then a man in black entered the room. He came in quickly, opening the door no more than necessary, in a kind of aggressive sidle, and stopped in astonishment. Then his hand flew to his belt and he drew a thin, businesslike sword.