"How did you do that?" said the Bear to Fitzduane.
"And without moving your lips," added de Guevain.
"I didn't," said Fitzduane, "Though it was temping."
"Probably a spell," said de Guevain.
"Great television," said Etan. "The bastard will make the news yet again."
"Nonstick politician or not," said Kilmara with some satisfaction, "I think he'll need a fresh pair of pants. Oh, well, his day will come."
The media helicopter had arrived and was obviously torn between wanting to get close-ups of the perforated aircraft and a not unreasonable desire to avoid receiving the same sort of treatment as the Taoiseach. Camera lenses sprouted from open doors and windows. The pilot, manifestly without combat experience — made a series of quick forays and then darted away. Fitzduane expected this amateur jinking to dislodge one of the cameramen any minute and for a body or two to come flying through the air.
"What's the time," asked the Bear.
"About six-thirty," said Fitzduane. "Time for all good Irish men and women to be in bed."
"Time for breakfast," said the Bear.
"Typical for a bloody Swiss," said Fitzduane.
"If everybody minded their own business," said the Duchess in a hoarse growl, "the world would go round a great deal faster than it does."
—Lewis Carroll,
Alice in Wonderland
"A Swiss Lewis Carroll is not possible."
—Vreni Rutschman, Zurich, March, 1981
Fitzduane 01 - Games of The Hangman Page 60