"Par Érou, monsieur le comte," said Réginard, adjusting his cravat and his sleeves, "you are really precious, first for the affair of the eagle, and now for this, and though all the mighty elf-friends of old, Hador and Hurin and Turin and Jean-Pierre Elfeaux and Béren himself were assembled together for a game of boules, yet you would be victorious over them." He extended his hand to the Count, who shuddered a moment to take it, yet took it nonetheless. Vanya looked on, stupefied to see a prisoner who could not be bothered to tremble before him; as for Arafrantz, he was delighted that Réginard had been able to uphold the Arnorian honour even before a bandit.
"If we hurry," said Arafrantz, we can still make it to the ball at Dorthonia's, and you can resume your brequedanse."
"Yes, my eagle awaits," said the Count. "You may go back to your pyramid, Vanya. "But I recommend you improve the aesthetics of this place."
Réginard, followed by Arafrantz and the Count, exited the trap-door and headed for the guardroom where the Count's eagle was being fed some unclean beast. As they walked, the entire band remained standing, with their hats in one hand and their spears, which they banged against their shields, in the other. "Westu Monte Fato halo!" they cried. Vanya accompanied them.
