“We are but at the beginning,” replied Ulenspiegel. “Deign to consider how that all in this is pleasure for us, slaying our enemies, mocking them, having our pouches full of florins; well laden with meat, with beer, with wine, with brandy. What would you have more, feather bed? Would you like us to sell our asses and buy horses?”
“My son,” said Lamme, “the trotting of a horse is very severe on a man of my corpulence.”
“You will sit on your steed as peasants do,” said Ulenspiegel, “and no man will mock at you, since you are clad like a peasant, and do not wear the sword like me, but only carry a pikestaff.”
“My son,” said Lamme, “are you sure that our two passes will avail for the little towns?”
“Have not I the curé’s certificate,” said Ulenspiegel, “with the great seal of the Church in red wax hanging from it by two tails of parchment, and our confession cards? The soldiers and catchpolls of the duke have no power against two men so well armed. And the black paternosters we have for sale? We are two reiters, both of us, you a Fleming and I a German, travelling by express command from the duke, to win over the heretics of this land to the Holy Catholic faith by the sale of sacred articles. We shall thus enter everywhere the houses of noble lords and the fat abbés. And they will give us rich hospitality. And we shall surprise their secrets. Lick your chops, my gentle friend.”
“My son,” said Lamme, “we will then be carrying on the trade of spies.”
“By law and right of war,” replied Ulenspiegel.
“If they hear of the affair of the three preachers, we shall die without a doubt,” said Lamme.
Ulenspiegel sang:
“My standards ‘Live’ as motto bear