Beldames [noun]

And really she was an awfully nice, capable, human old woman: and I had thought her a beldame when I saw her ironing.

But no single syllable would the old beldame now utter against her ancient mistress.

And to the horror of Erminie, he grasped the cloak and tore it off, in spite of the vigorous struggles of the beldame.

And at that the beldame laughed very violently and said, "Yea, that is true."

And they whispered to the old beldame, saying, "Who is yonder man, and what doth he here?"

In the topmost branches was the tottering beldame I had saluted, and in both her hands the staff, a dozen feet long.

Taric listened to the old beldame with grave attention; and, when she had concluded, he laid bare his shoulder, and lo!

And the old beldame folded her arms, and looked the pacha boldly in the face.

"But I am not content to surrender my Madoc," yelled the beldame.

The beldame came in presently, before he had had time to shape his thoughts.