"The little swan-riding witch."
"You have not let the dwarf scale this wall? If she could do that unobserved, my men, we are lax."
"She is one who will neither be let nor hindered. We are scarce sure we even saw her. There was but the swoop of wings."
"Why, Renot, my lad," insisted Edelwald, "we could see her white swan now in this noon of moonlight, if she were abroad. Besides, D'Aulnay has sentinels stationed around this height. They will check her."
"They will check the wind across Fundy Bay first," said the other man.
"You cannot think Le Rossignol has risen in the air on her swan's back? That is too absurd," said Edelwald. "No one ever saw her play such pranks. And you could have winged the heavy bird as he rose."
"I know she is out of Fort St. John at this minute," insisted Renot Babinet. "And how are you to wing a bird which gets out of sight before you know what has happened?"
"I say it is no wonder we have trouble in this seigniory," growled the other man. "Our lady never could see a mongrel baby or a witch dwarf or a stray black gown anywhere, but she must have it into the fort and make it free of the best here."
"And God forever bless her," said Edelwald, baring his head.
"Amen," they both responded with force.