"Aye! That's just it, the most abominable Edict. Save us, mebbe ye're a Papist yersel'!"
"Yes! Or I should not be doing the Emperor's service!" Nigel retorted with some heat.
"Whisht! Whisht! man! A man must look to the bawbees, ye ken; but he should aye hould fast to his opeenions!"
"'Tis not for me to say what Mr Gordon should do, or not do," said Nigel dryly. "My creed is where I take my pay, there I fight, and as for the cause I say nothing."
"Aye!" said Commandant Gordon with something like a sigh. "And what brought ye to Eger, when it was a wheen shorter by Pilsen?"
He scrutinised Nigel with a long careful scrutiny.
"That I might tell you how matters stood with Hohendorf. Yours is the nearest garrison."
"Hooch aye!" The commandant appeared to be relieved of some anticipated trouble. "I dinna think I can spare ony, but ye've done your duty in reporting it. I thocht ye were maybe paying a veesit to yon warlock the new Duke keeps at his hoose!"
"What new Duke?"