Not by courage or powder and ball,
By cunning alone we can live at all
Upon the Belgian border!”
Maria. Do you know that you deserve to be hanged, with such infamous principles as that?
Michiel. Why, it’s just to escape hanging that I want to put them into practice, as our schoolmaster says.
Maria. Our schoolmaster used to say you were an ignorant ass; but I see that at any rate you have remembered something.
Michiel. He shall be sorry, one of these days, for having spoken of me in that way. But, never mind that, I have a good idea.
Maria. A fine one, I expect!
Michiel. Just listen. We cannot help it if one party or the other wants to annex us; so we must try and keep friends with both, and make each of them believe we are on their side. Now, I’ve asked the house-painter for a couple of pots of paint: there they are. You say I never carry anything out; now you shall just see.
Maria. Well—and then?