Against his own body, hilt and fist thumped home, with the sound as of a football lightly punted.

He turned, with a freezing look of surprise, plucked at the haft, made one step calmly and tentatively toward the door, stumbled, and lay retching and coughing.
The fat shop-keeper wailed like a man beside himself.

He gabbled, imploring Heywood.

The young man nodded.

"Yes, yes," he repeated irritably, staring down at the body, but listening to the stream of words.
Murmurs had risen, among the goblin faces blinking in the doorway.
Behind them, a sudden voice called out two words which were caught up and echoed harshly in the street.