“Who?” she said. “Why, the soldiers of Simonen Bol, who are about to come in the name of the Duke and throw themselves upon you all. And if they treat you well while you are here, it is only as men treat the oxen they mean to kill. Oh why,” she cried all in tears, “why did I not know all this before, so that I could have warned you!”
“You must not cry,” said Ulenspiegel, “and you must stay where you are!”
“Do not betray me,” she said.
Ulenspiegel went out of the house, ran as fast as he could, and went round to all the booths and taverns in the place, whispering to the sailors and soldiers these words: “The Spaniards are coming.”
At that they ran every one to the ship, and prepared with all the haste they knew whatever things were necessary for battle. Then they waited for the evening. While they were waiting thus, Ulenspiegel said to Lamme:
“Do you see that pretty-looking woman on the quay there, in a black dress embroidered with scarlet?”
“It’s all one to me,” answered Lamme. “I am cold and I want to go to sleep.”
And he threw his great cloak around his head, and became like a man who was deaf.
But presently Ulenspiegel recognized the woman and cried out to her from the vessel:
“Would you like to come with us?”