# Pratchett Vimes quote?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pratchett-vimes-quote/673357
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 7, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pratchett-vimes-quote/673357 "2013-11-07T20:30:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pratchett-vimes-quote/673357/1 "2013-11-07T20:30:32Z")
Help. I can’t recall which book and how it went! It was Vimes.
Something about what kind of man has a policeman inside himself to keep the darkness out and the answer that the policeman was there to keep the darkness in.
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pratchett-vimes-quote/673357/2 "2013-11-07T20:36:17Z")
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> Help. I can’t recall which book and how it went! It was Vimes.
>
> Something about what kind of man has a policeman inside himself to keep the darkness out and the answer that the policeman was there to keep the darkness in.
>
> Thanks.
This is from “Thud!,” I think.
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### Author:  [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pratchett-vimes-quote/673357/3 "2013-11-07T20:37:21Z")
Sounds like “Thud!” but it could well be “Snuff”.
There’s a similar but not quite right passage in “The Fifth Elephant”, too, about the darkness inside Vimes.
The 6th quote on [this](http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/819104-thud-discworld-34) “Thud!” quotes page sounds likely:
[QUOTE=Thud!]
“I am the Summoning Dark.” It was not, in fact, a sound, but had it been, it would have been a hiss. “Who are you?”
“I am the Watchman.”
“They would have killed his family!” The darkness lunged, and met resistance. “Think of the deaths they have caused! Who are you to stop me?”
“He created me. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchmen? Me. I watch him. Always. You will not force him to murder for you.”
“What kind of human creates his own policeman?”
“One who fears the dark.”
“And so he should,” said the entity, with satisfaction.
“Indeed. But I think you misunderstand. I am not here to keep the darkness out. I am here to keep it in.” There was a clink of metal as the shadowy watchman lifted a dark lantern and opened its little door. Orange light cut through the blackness. “Call me… the Guarding Dark. Imagine how strong I must be.”
[/QUOTE]
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### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pratchett-vimes-quote/673357/4 "2013-11-07T21:20:36Z")
That’s it!
Thanks!