Leaving Quesnoy-le-Comte to go to Cambresis, the Prince's army fellin with ten companies of Germans and eight Spanish ensigns and threecohorts of cavalry. They at once joined battle, and in the midst ofthe melee was Ruffele Henricis, the Duke's son, crying out at thetop of his voice:
"No quarter! No quarter! Long live the Pope!"
Now Don Henricis found himself opposite to a company of arquebusierswhich was led by Ulenspiegel, and he threw himself upon them withall his men. Ulenspiegel said to his sergeant:
"I will cut out this murderer's tongue for him!"
"Very good," said the sergeant.
And Ulenspiegel took careful aim, and his bullet shattered thetongue and the entire jaw-bone of Don Ruffele Henricis, son ofthe Duke. At the same time Ulenspiegel brought down the son of theMarquess Delmares, and in a little while more the eight ensigns andthe three cohorts of cavalry were thoroughly worsted.
After this victory Ulenspiegel went seeking for Lamme everywherethrough the camp, but he could not find him.
"Alas," he said, "he is gone! Lamme is gone; my friend, my great fatfriend! In his warlike ardour he must have forgotten how heavy hisbelly was, and tried to follow the Spaniards in their flight. Out ofbreath he must have fallen like a sack on the wayside. And then theenemy will have picked him up for ransom--a ransom of good Christianfat! O Lamme, my friend, where are you? Where are you, my greatfat friend?"
Ulenspiegel sought him everywhere but found him not and had to nursehis grief in silence.
And now November was come, the month of snow-storms, and Ulenspiegel,having been ordered to report himself before William, found the Princebrooding in silence, and biting the lacings of his coat of mail.
"Listen to me," the Prince said presently, "and give me your wholeattention."
Ulenspiegel answered: "My ears are like the gates of a prison. Oneenters easily but to get out again is a different matter."
"Very good," said William, "but now I would have you go for me toNamur, and to Flanders, Hainaut, Sud-Brabant, Antwerp, Nord-Brabant,and to Gueldre, Overyssel, and the North of Holland, telling thepeople everywhere that, although it seems that the fates on land arehostile to our most Holy and Christian Cause, we will yet continuethe struggle by sea, no matter what the evil powers that are arrayedagainst us. For God holds the issue in His own good providence,whether in success or failure. And when you are come to Amsterdam youwill render an account of all that you have done to Paul Bruys whois my trusty vassal. Here are three passports, signed by the Dukeof Alba himself, which were found on certain bodies of the dead atQuesnoy-le-Comte. My secretary has filled them in afresh. And it maybe that on your journey you will meet some good companion in whomyou can trust. Let him go with you. And those are to be accountedtrustworthy who know how to answer the song of the lark with a warlikecockcrow. Here are fifty florins. Be valiant and faithful."
"The ashes of Claes beat upon my heart," answered Ulenspiegel.
And he went his way.
XVII
Now the passports were countersigned both by the King and the Duke,and they authorized the bearer to carry any kind of arms at hisconvenience. So Ulenspiegel took with him his trusty arquebus as wellas a good supply of cartridges and dry gunpowder. He dressed himselfin a short cloak and a shabby doublet and hose made after the Spanishfashion, and thus accoutred, with a plumed cap on his head and a swordat his side, he made his departure from the Prince's army where itlay at the French frontier, and set out for Maestricht.
The roitelets, those heralds of bad weather, were flying aroundthe houses seeking asile from the storm, and on the third day snowfell. Many times during the journey did Ulenspiegel have to show hissafe-conduct. But they always let him pass, and so he came at lengthto the confines of Liege. He was plodding along over a level heath,and a fierce wind was driving the swirling snowflakes against his face,and in front and on every side the heath stretched out all white underthe snow that fell in eddies, which themselves were whirled abouthither and thither in the squalls of wind. And there were three wolvesthat began to follow him. But one of them he killed with a shot fromhis arquebus, and the other two flung themselves upon their woundedcomrade, and then made off into the woods, each carrying a piece ofthe corpse.
Delivered from this peril, Ulenspiegel peered about him, fearinglest there might be other bands of wolves in that country, but hesaw nothing except, in the far distance, certain objects that lookedlike grey statues moving slowly along in the falling snow. Behindthese again, Ulenspiegel could descry the dark figures of a couple ofsoldiers on horseback. To see the better what all this might portend,Ulenspiegel climbed up into a tree, and there the wind brought tohim a far-off sound of lamentation. "It may be," Ulenspiegel saidto himself, "these people are pilgrims, clad in white habits; for Ican scarcely distinguish their figures against the snow." But aftera little while he saw that they were men running, quite naked, andthat behind them were two German troopers in black uniforms ridingon horses. And they were driving the poor wretches in front of themwith whips. Ulenspiegel took aim with his arquebus. Now he coulddistinguish the individual figures of that mournful company--old menand young men naked, shivering, and quaking with cold, hardly ableto stand some of them, but running all, for fear of the cruel whipsof the two soldiers who, themselves being warmly clad and red withbrandy and good food, took pleasure in lashing the bodies of nakedmen to make them run the faster.
Ulenspiegel said: "You shall be avenged, ashes of Claes!" And he killedone of the soldiers outright with a bullet from his arquebus. Thesoldier fell from his horse, and his companion took fright, not knowingwhence the shot had come. But concluding that his assailant must behiding somewhere in the wood, he decided to make good his escape,together with the horse of his dead companion. The man contrived toget hold of the horse's bridle, but while he himself was dismountingto plunder the body of the dead, he was hit by a bullet in the neckand fell to the ground.
As for the naked prisoners, they imagined that some angel from heaven,who was also forsooth a fine marksman, had descended from the skyto aid them, and they all fell down upon their knees in the snow. Atthis Ulenspiegel descended from his tree, and was at once recognizedby the company who had previously served with him as soldiers in thearmies of the Prince. They said to him:
"O Ulenspiegel, we are come from France, and we were being driven inthis piteous plight to Maestricht, where the Duke is, to be treatedthere as rebel prisoners because we cannot pay our ransom, and aretherefore condemned in advance to be tortured, cut into pieces,or sent to row like caitiffs and criminals in the galleys of the King."
Ulenspiegel gave his opperst-kleed to the oldest of the soldiers,saying:
"Come with me, my friends. I will accompany you as far as Mezieres;but first of all let us strip these two dead soldiers and takepossession of their horses." Thereupon the doublets, hose, boots,head-gear, and body-armour of the soldiers were divided up among thesick and feeble, and Ulenspiegel said:
"We shall soon be entering the wood, where the air is thicker andmore gentle. You had better run, my brothers."
Suddenly one of the men fell down on the ground, crying: "I am hungryand cold, and I am going to God to bear witness that the Pope isAntichrist on earth." And he died, and the others agreed to carrythe body with them that it might be given Christian burial.
While thus proceeding along the road, they met a peasant drivinga cart with a canvas hood. Seeing the men all naked, the peasanthad compassion on them and invited them to ride in his cart. Therethey found some hay to lie on, and some empty sacks to cover themwithal. And they were warmed and gave thanks to God. Ulenspiegelrode beside the cart on one of the two horses that had belonged tothe German troopers, leading the other by the bridle.
At Mezieres they all alighted. Good hot soup and beer and breadand cheese were handed round, with some meat for the older menand women. And they were nobly entertained; and they were clothedand armed again, all at the expense of the commune. And every onejoined in giving thanks and praise
to Ulenspiegel, who received itgladly. Ulenspiegel also sold the horses of the German troopers foreight-and-forty florins, out of which he distributed thirty florinsamong the Frenchmen.
Thereafter he took the road again, and as he walked solitarily alonghe said to himself:
"Verily now do I wander through a land of ruin, blood, andtears. Nevertheless, I find nothing. Those spirits lied to me withouta doubt. For where is Lamme? Where is Nele! Where are the Seven?"
And he heard a voice speaking to him as though in a whisper:
"In death, in ruin, and in tears, seek!"
And he went his way.
XVIII
It was the month of March when Ulenspiegel came to Namur. There hefound Lamme, who, having conceived a violent passion for the fish ofthe Meuse, and for the trout especially, had hired a boat and spentall day fishing in the river by permission of the commune. But forthis privilege he had been obliged to pay the sum of fifty florinsto the Guild of the Fishmongers.
Some of his fish he sold. But the rest he ate himself, and bythis means he gained a finer belly than ever, and a small sack ofmoney. When he saw his friend and comrade walking along the banks ofthe Meuse and about to enter the town, Lamme was mightily rejoicedand pushed his boat to the shore, and there springing on to the bankrushed up to Ulenspiegel, blowing and puffing and stammering for joy.
"Here you are," he cried, "here you are at last, my son. And whereare you off to? What are you after? You are not dead, then? And haveyou seen my wife? You'll feed off the fish of the Meuse, which arethe best to be found anywhere on this base earth! And let me tell yousomething. The people here make such sauces as will tempt you to dipyour fingers into the dish right up to your shoulder! Ah, but how proudand splendid you look! On your cheeks is the very bloom of battle. Andhere you are! It's you, it's really you, my son! My Ulenspiegel! Youjolly vagabond!" Then in a lower tone of voice he added:
"And how many Spaniards have you killed? You have not seen my wifeby any chance, in the carts with those other hussies? Ah, but thewine of the Meuse! You must taste it. And have you been wounded, myson? You must rest here a while, so fresh and cheery as you are, andvigilant as a young eagle. But our eels! You must taste our eels. Nomuddy taste about them! Come, kiss me, my second self! Praise be toGod! How glad I am!"
And Lamme danced and leapt in the air, puffing and blowing andcompelling Ulenspiegel to dance too.
Thereafter they walked towards Namur. At the gate of the cityUlenspiegel showed his passport signed by the Duke. And Lammeconducted him to his house. While their repast was being preparedhe made Ulenspiegel tell him all his adventures and then recountedhis own, telling how he had left the army to follow a girl whom hethought was his wife. It was in pursuit of her, it seemed, that hehad come at last to Namur. And he kept on asking Ulenspiegel:
"Are you sure you have not seen her anywhere?"
"I have seen many other beautiful women," answered Ulenspiegel, "andin this town especially, where it seems they are all most amorous...."
"It is so," said Lamme, "nevertheless I have remained faithful. Formy sad heart is heavy with but a single recollection."
"Even as your belly is heavy with countless platter-fuls!" saidUlenspiegel.
"When I am unhappy I have to eat," Lamme replied.
"Your unhappiness knows no end?" demanded Ulenspiegel.
"Alas, no!" said Lamme.
And helping himself to another trout:
"Look," he cried, "look how lovely and firm he is. This flesh is aspink as the flesh of my wife. But to-morrow we will leave Namur. Ihave a purseful of florins, and we will buy a donkey for each of us,and so we will go riding away to the land of Flanders!"
"You will be giving up a great deal," said Ulenspiegel.
"Never mind," said Lamme. "My heart draws me back to Damme. For itwas there that my love loved me well. And it may be that she alsohas returned thither."
"We will set out to-morrow," said Ulenspiegel, "since such is yourdesire."
And in fact they set forth as Lamme had said, each on a donkey;and so they rode along side by side.
XIX
Nele all this time was living at Damme, sorrowful and alone, withKatheline, who still continued to call amorously for her cold devilwho never came.
"Ah!" she would say, "you are rich, Hanske my pet; and you couldeasily give me back those seven hundred caroluses. Then Soetkin wouldlive again and come to earth once more, and Claes in heaven wouldlaugh for joy. Easily could you do this, and you would! Put out thefire! My soul wants to get out!"
And with her finger she would point without ceasing to the place onher head where the flaming tow had burned her.
Katheline was very impoverished, but the neighbours helped her bysending in beans and bread and meat, according as they were able. Thecommune also gave her a certain amount of money, and Nele did sewingfor the wealthy bourgeois, and went to their houses to mend theirlinen, earning in this way a florin or two every week. But Kathelinekept on with her eternal "Make a hole! Let out my soul! She is knockingto be let out! And he will give me back the seven hundred caroluses!"
And Nele wept to hear her.
XX
In the meantime Ulenspiegel and Lamme continued their wanderings. Underthe protection of their passports, they entered one day into a littletavern built against the rocks of the Sambre, the which rocks arecovered with trees here and there, and on the sign of the tavern waswritten mine host's name--MARLAIRE. When they had drunk many a flask ofwine--wine of the Meuse, rather like Burgundy--and when they had eatena large plate of fish, they fell talking to the innkeeper, who was akeen Papist but as talkative as he was pious because of the wine he hadbeen drinking. And he kept on winking his eye maliciously. Ulenspiegelhad a suspicion that all this winking portended something mysterious,and he made the fellow drink yet more, with the result that he fell todancing and shouting with laughter, till at last he sat himself downat the table again, and, "Good Catholics," says he, "I drink to you."
"And to you we drink also," answered Lamme and Ulenspiegel.
"And I drink to the extinction of all heresy and rebellion."
"We will join you in that toast," answered Lamme and Ulenspiegel,who kept on filling up the goblets which mine host could never sufferto remain full.
"You are good fellows," said the innkeeper. "Let me drink to the healthof your noble Generosities. For you must know that I derive some profitfrom all the wine that is drunk here. But where are your passports?"
"Here they are," replied Ulenspiegel.
"With the Duke's signature and all," said the innkeeper. "Here's ahealth to the Duke."
"To the Duke," echoed Lamme and Ulenspiegel. And mine host wenton talking:
"Answer me now, do you know what it is that they catch rats and micein? Why in rat-traps to be sure, and mouse-traps. Who is the mousethen? The great heretic of Orange--and orange he is in very truth,like the flames of hell! But God is on our side. They will come. Hoho! A toast! Pour out the wine; I bake and burn with thirst. Come,drink, my masters. Fine little Protestant evangelists.... I saidlittle. Fine valiant little fellows they are, and brave soldiers,sturdy as oaks.... I drink to them! Are you not going with them tothe camp of the great heretic? I have certain passports signed byhim.... You will see."
"We are going to the camp," answered Ulenspiegel.
"Yes, they will do their work well. And one fine night, if theopportunity presents itself"--and here the innkeeper whistled, andmade a gesture as of one man cutting another's throat--"cold steel,I tell you. It's that that shall prevent the black bird of Nassaufrom singing any more. Come, drink again."
"You're a gay fellow," said Ulenspiegel, "in spite of being married."
The innkeeper said:
"I am neither married nor have I ever been. The secrets of Princes aresafe with me. Drink! But if I had a wife she would steal my secretsfrom under my pillow to get me hanged and herself made widow beforethe time. Long live God! They will come.... But where are the newpassports? On my heart
of a Christian. Drink! They are there, there Itell you. One hundred paces along the road near by Marche-les-Dames. Doyou see them? Drink again!"
"Drink?" said Ulenspiegel. "Yes, I drink and drink and drink. Tothe King, to the Duke, to the Protestant preachers, and to Ventd'acier--Wind of Lead. And I drink to thee and to me, to the wineand the bottle that holds it. But why? It is you that have stoppeddrinking!"
And at each new toast Ulenspiegel filled up the glass of the innkeeper,who emptied it straightway.
Ulenspiegel looked at him for some time, then rose and said to Lamme:"Come, Lamme, it is time for us to be off. He is asleep." But whenthey were outside, "He has no wife," Ulenspiegel continued. "We aresafe. The night is at hand. Did you hear what the rascal said? Anddo you rightly understand who these three preachers are? Do yourealize that they are to come along the bank of the Meuse fromMarche-les-Dames, and that it will be our part to await them on theroad? And then for Vent d'acier--Wind of Lead--to start his whistling?"
"Yes," said Lamme.
"It is for us to save the Prince's life," said Ulenspiegel.
"Yes," said Lamme.
"Wait," said Ulenspiegel. "You take my arquebus, and go andhide in the undergrowth among the rocks. Load it with two shots,and shoot when you hear me caw and crow."
"I will," said Lamme.
And so saying he disappeared into the undergrowth. And Ulenspiegelcould hear quite clearly the click of the gun as Lamme loaded it.