But by now a crowd of people had collected, workpeople of the town, and they all began to take Katheline’s part, crying: “Justice! Justice, my Lord Bailiff! Justice!”
And the bailiff said to Nele: “Who is the one that was killed? Speak the truth in God’s name.”
Then Nele said her say, pointing the while at the pale horseman:
“This is the man who came every Saturday to the keet to visit my mother, and to take her money from her. He killed one of his own friends, Hilbert by name, in the field of Servaes Van der Vichte; and this he did not from any love of Katheline, as she in her innocent folly believes, but rather that he might get hold of her seven hundred caroluses and keep them all for himself.”
“You lie,” said the pale horseman.
“Oh no!” said Nele. “For it is you that caused the death of Soetkin; you that reduced her orphan son to misery; you—nobleman that you are—who came to us, common people, and the first time you came you brought money to my mother, so that ever afterwards you might take her money from her! And you it is that introduced into our house that friend of yours to whom you would have given me in marriage; but, as you know, I would have none of him. What did he do, your friend Hilbert, that time I tore his eyes with my finger-nails?”
“Nele is naughty,” said Katheline. “You must not pay any attention to her, Hans, my pet. She is angry because Hilbert tried to take her by force; but Hilbert cannot do so any more. The worms have eaten him. And Hilbert was ugly, Hans, my pet. It is you alone that are beautiful, and Nele, she is naughty.”
Nele accuses Hans
Now the bailiff ordered the women to go about their business, but Katheline would not budge from where she stood. They were obliged, therefore, to take her into the cottage by force. And all the people that were there assembled began to cry out: