When they arrived at the guardroom, Vanya bowed and said, "Messieurs! This offer will perhaps not be very attractive, but should you wish to make me a second visit, you would be welcome."
"Monsieur, I find the prisons of Dol-Gouldour de fort mauvais goût," drawled Réginard. "The torments of the Orcs, ça assomme, enfin. In short, your palazzo is deathly dull."
Luigi Vanya looked terribly embarrassed.
Arafrantz bowed and said tactfully, "As soon as we have finished saving the world, we will be pleased to. And your pyramid was exquisite."
Réginard lit a cigar with Luigi's torch, and they parted. The eagle, egged on by Gali, sped like the night wind visible, and by two o'clock the three entered the palace of Fighetto. Their arrival was a nine-day wonder, and the Orc-gear given them by Vanya immediately became a rage.
"Madame," said the Viscount de Pérégrin advancing towards the Countess G, "yesterday you were good enough to promise me a brequedanse, and I come a bit late to claim that promise; but my friend will testify that it was not my fault: I was detained by some dragons and Orcs." And with that the music began, and Réginard danced a dance with the Countess, whereof Gandault himself would have been proud.
