"Ma foi, kind host," replied Arafrantz, "you need not excuse yourself for that. I have always found that one bound the eyes of people who penetrated enchanted palaces, like Tueur in Les Gondorins; only this abode is veritably more like those of The Thousand and One Pipe-weeds."
"Indeed, I possess precisely one thousand and one varieties of pipe-weed," said the host affably. "You shall partake of them after our meal."
"With the greatest of pleasure," replied Arafrantz.
The stranger bowed, and then called out, "Gali, are we served?"
A peculiar gangrel creature of a somewhat fishy odor entered the doorway and made a sign to the effect that the banquet was prepared.
"Now, I don't know whether you will share my opinion or not," said the host. "But I for one find it terribly bothersome to spend two or three hours in the company of another, without knowing by what name to address him. Note that I do not request you to give me your actual name, for I have no desire to be hasty. I beg you only to indicate any designation whatsoever, were it only Labouche de Sauron" (here he laughed ironically) "by the aid of which I may direct my speech to you. To put you at ease, I will inform you that I am in the habit of being called Éarendeau le marin."
