And the men and women in the crowd, hearing Tres-Long speak in this wise, cried out also: "Have pity, my Lord! Mercy and pardon for Ulenspiegel!"

"The Iron-pate has defied me," said de Lumey. "Let him admit he was wrong and that I was in the right."

"Will you?" said Tres-Long to Ulenspiegel.

"Parole de soldat n'est plus parole d'or," Ulenspiegel answered.

"Draw the cord," said de Lumey.

The executioner was about to obey when a young maid, dressed all in white and with a wreath of flowers round her head, ran up the steps of the scaffold like one mad, and threw herself on the neck of Ulenspiegel.

"This man is mine," she said. "I take him for my husband."

And the people broke into applause, and the women cried aloud:

"Long live the maid, long live the maid that has saved the life of Ulenspiegel!"

"What does this mean?" demanded Messire de Lumey.

Tres-Long answered:

"You must know that by the legal usages and customs of our city any young maid or unmarried girl has the right to save a man from hanging, provided that she be willing to take him for her husband at the foot of the gallows."

"G.o.d is on his side," said de Lumey. "Unloose his fetters."

Then riding up close to the scaffold he saw how the executioner was endeavouring to prevent the maid from severing the cords which bound Ulenspiegel, telling her at the same time that he didn't know who would pay the price of the cords if she cut them. But the damsel did not appear even to hear him. Seeing her so hasty in her love and so cunning withal, the heart of de Lumey was softened within him, and he asked the maid who she might be.

"I am Nele," she answered him, "the betrothed of Ulenspiegel, and I am come from Flanders to seek him."

"You have done well," said de Lumey in a disdainful tone. And he went away.

Then Tres-Long approached the scaffold.

"Young Fleming," he said, "when once you are married, will you still serve as a soldier in our s.h.i.+ps?"

"Yes, sir," answered Ulenspiegel.

"But you, my girl, what will you do without your husband?"

Nele answered:

"If you will allow me, sir, I am fain to become a piper in his s.h.i.+p."

"Very well," said Tres-Long.

And he gave her two florins for the wedding feast. And Lamme cried for joy and laughed at the same time, and he gave her three other florins, saying: "We will eat them all. And I will pay. Let us to the sign of the Golden Comb. He is not dead, my friend. Long live the Beggarmen!"

And the people shouted a.s.sent, and they repaired to the tavern of the Golden Comb, where a great feast was ordered, and from an upper window Lamme threw down pennies to the people in the street below.

And Ulenspiegel said to Nele:

"Sweetest and best beloved, here we are together once again! Noel! For she is here, flesh, heart, and soul of my sweet love. Oh, her soft eyes and her red and lovely lips that can speak naught but words of kindness! She has saved my life, my tender lover! And now it's you and only you that shall play upon our s.h.i.+p the fife of deliverance! Do you remember ... but no.... This is our hour of joy, and all for me is now this face, sweet as June flowers. I am in Paradise. But why, tell me.... You are crying!"

"They have killed her," she said. And then Nele told him all the sad story of the death of Katheline. And gazing one at the other they wept for love and for sorrow.

But at the feast they ate and drank, and Lamme as he looked upon them grieved within himself, saying:

"Alas! my wife, where are you?"

And the priest came and married Nele and Ulenspiegel.

And the morning found them side by side in their bed of marriage.

And Nele's head was resting on the shoulder of Ulenspiegel. And when the sun had awakened her he said:

"Fresh face, soft heart, we two will be the avengers of the land of Flanders!"

She kissed him on the mouth, saying:

"Wild head, strong arms, G.o.d bless my fife and your sword."

"I will make for you a soldier's habit," said Ulenspiegel.

"Now? At once?"

"At once," he told her. "But who was that man who said that strawberries were sweet in the early morning? Your lips are far, far sweeter."

x.x.xIII

By sea, by river, in fair weather and foul, through snows of winter and summer's heat, the s.h.i.+ps of the Beggarmen sailed before the breeze. Full-bellied was their canvas and white as the down of swans--white swans of Liberty.

But to the King of Blood came the news of their conquests, and death was already at work upon his vitals, and his body was full of worms. And he dragged himself along the corridors of his palace at Valladolid, and he never laughed--not even at daybreak, what time the Sun rose to irradiate all the lands of his empire as with the very smile of G.o.d.

But Ulenspiegel, Lamme, and Nele sang out like birds, living from day to day, having joy to hear of many a funeral pyre put out by the brave Beggarmen. And Tyl sang five songs, all to the glory of the land of Flanders and to the despite of her enemies.

And it came to pa.s.s that on a day, having taken the towns of Rammeken, Gertruydenberg, and Alckmaer, the Beggarmen returned to Flus.h.i.+ng. And there in the harbour they beheld a little boat moored. And in the boat was a pretty-looking woman with golden-brown hair, brown eyes, fresh cheeks, rounded arms, and white hands. And all at once the woman cried out:

"Lamme! Lamme!" And then again: "Ah, but you must not approach me! I have taken a vow before G.o.d.... Yet I love you. Ah, my dear husband!"

Nele said: "It is Calleken Huysbrechts--the fair Calleken!"

"Even so," answered the woman. "But, alas! the hour of noon has already struck for my beauty." And she looked very sorrowful.