The Legend of Ulenspiegel Volume Ii Part 42

"Do not so," said she; "he would weep and I in likewise."

"Didst thou ever see his wife?" asked Ulenspiegel.

Sighing, she answered:

"She sinned with him and was condemned to a cruel penance. She knows that he goeth on the sea for the triumph of heresy, and that is a hard thing for a Christian heart to think on. Defend him if he is attacked; care for him if he is wounded: his wife bade me make this request of you."

"Lamme is my brother and my friend," replied Ulenspiegel.

"Ah!" she said, "why do ye not return to the bosom of our Mother Holy Church?"

"She devours her children," answered Ulenspiegel.

And he went his way.

One morning in March, since the wind, that was blowing sharp and cutting, ceased not to thicken the ice, and Tres-Long's s.h.i.+p could not leave, the sailors and the soldiers of the vessel were holding feasting and revel on sledges and on skates.

Ulenspiegel was at the inn, and the pretty woman said to him, all woeful and as if bereft of her wits:

"Poor Lamme! poor Ulenspiegel!"

"Why do you lament?" asked he.

"Alas! Alas!" said she, "why do ye not believe in the ma.s.s. Ye would go to paradise, without a doubt, and I could save you in this life."

Seeing her go to the door and listen attentively, Ulenspiegel said to her:

"It is not the snow falling that you are listening to?"

"No," said she.

"It is not the moaning wind that you give ear to?"

"No," she said again.

"Nor to the merry din that our valiant sailors are making in the tavern close by?"

"Death cometh as a thief," she said.

"Death!" said Ulenspiegel. "I do not understand thee; come inside and speak."

"They are there," she said.

"Who?"

"Who?" she answered. "The soldiers of Simonen-Bol, who are to come, in the name of the duke, to throw themselves on all of you; if you are so well treated here, it is like the bullocks that are meant for the slaughter. Ah! why," said she all in tears, "why did I not know it save but just now."

"Do not weep, nor cry out," said Ulenspiegel, "and stay where you are!"

"Do not betray me," said she.

Ulenspiegel went out from her house, ran, made his way to all the booths and taverns, whispering into the ears of the seamen and the soldiers these words: "The Spaniard is coming."

All ran to the s.h.i.+p, preparing with the utmost haste all that was needed for battle, and they awaited the enemy. Ulenspiegel said to Lamme:

"Seest thou yon pretty woman standing upon the quay, with her black dress embroidered with scarlet, and hiding her face under her white hood?"

"It is all one to me," replied Lamme. "I am cold; I want to sleep."

And he rolled his head up in his opperst-kleed. And like that he was as a man deaf.

Ulenspiegel then recognized the woman and called to her from the s.h.i.+p:

"Dost thou wish to follow us?"

"To the grave," said she, "but I cannot...."

"Thou wouldst do well," said Ulenspiegel; "yet think of this: when the nightingale stays in the forest, it is happy and sings; but if it leaves the forest and risks its little wings in the wind of the great sea, it breaks them and dies."

"I have sung in my house," said she, "and would sing outside if I could." Then drawing closer to the s.h.i.+p: "Take this ointment," she said, "for thyself and thy friend who sleeps when he should wake...."

And she went away saying:

"Lamme! Lamme! G.o.d keep thee from harm; come back safe."

And she uncovered her face.

"My wife, my wife!" cried Lamme.

And he would have leaped down on the ice.

"Thy faithful wife!" said she.

And she ran away swiftly.

Lamme would have leaped from off the deck down on the ice, but he was prevented by a soldier, who held him back by his opperst-kleed. He cried, wept, implored that he might be given leave to go. But the provost said to him:

"Thou shalt be hanged if thou dost leave the s.h.i.+p."

Again Lamme would have cast himself on the ice, but an old Beggar held him back, saying to him:

"The floor is damp, you might get your feet wet."

And Lamme fell on his behind, weeping and saying without ceasing:

"My wife, my wife! let me go to my wife!"

"Thou shalt see her again," said Ulenspiegel. "She loves thee, but she loves G.o.d more than thee."