“Aye,” asked Lamme, “why, Monseigneur?”
But Brederode made no reply whatever and looked hard at Ulenspiegel. The latter continued:
“Why are you, you noble lords, fain to be faithful to the king even to the wallet? Is it for the great good he wills you, for the goodly amity he bears you? Why, instead of being faithful to him unto the wallet, why do ye not make it so that the despoiled tormentor of his countries should be ever faithful to the beggar’s wallet?”
And Lamme nodded his head in sign of assent.
Brederode looked at Ulenspiegel with his keen glance and smiled, seeing his friendly open mien.
“If thou art not,” said he, “a spy of King Philip’s, thou art a good Fleming, and I shall reward thee for either case.”
He brought him along, Lamme following, into his office. There, pulling his ear till the blood came:
“That,” he said, “is for the spy.”
Ulenspiegel uttered no cry.
“Bring,” he said to his cellarer, “bring that kettle of wine with cinnamon.”