Suddenly Flipke the Bear came up to him. "Baes," said he, "we know
well enough that this ghost of Hessels was sent to thee by him who is
lord below; thou hast made a pact with the devil and art rich only
by his money. We have guessed as much for some time. But so that
thou should not be vexed, none of us have spoken of it in the town,
and none will so speak. We would tell thee this to put thy mind at
rest. And so now, baes, good night and quiet sleep to thee."
"Thank you, lads," said Smetse, greatly softened.
And they went their several ways.
XII. How that Smetse would not give his secret into his wife's
tongue's keeping.
In the kitchen Smetse found his wife on her knees beating her breast,
weeping, sighing, sobbing, and saying: "Jesus Lord God, he has made a
pact with the devil; but 'tis not with my consent, I swear. And you
also, Madam the Virgin, you know it, and you also, all my masters
the saints. Ah, I am indeed wretched, not on my own account, but for
my poor man, who for the sake of some miserable gold sold his soul
to the devil! Alas, yes, sell it he did! Ah, my saintly masters,
who are yourselves so happy and in such glory, pray the very good
God for him, and deign to consider that if, as I dare hope, I die a
Christian death and go to paradise, I shall be all alone there, eating
my rice pudding with silver spoons, while my poor man is burning in
hell, crying out in thirst and hunger, and I not able to give him
either meat or drink.... Alas, that will make me so unhappy! Ah,
my good masters the saints, Madam the Virgin, My Lord Jesus, he
sinned but this once, and was all the rest of his life a good man,
a good Christian, kind to the poor and soft of heart. Save him from
the fires which burn for ever, and do not separate above those who
were so long united below. Pray for him, pray for me, alas!"
"Wife," said Smetse, "thou art very wretched, it seems."
"Ah, wicked man," said she, "now I know all. 'Twas hell fire
which came bursting into the house and lit up the forge; those
master-bakers, brewers, and vintners were devils, all of them, and
devil also that ugly man who showed thee the treasure and gave me
so grievous a buffet. Who will dare to live peaceably in this house
from now on? Alas, our food is the devil's, our drink also; devil's
meat, loaves, and cheeses, devil's money, house, and all. Whoever
should dig under this dwelling would see the fires of hell gush out
incontinent. There are all the devils, I see them above, below, on the
right hand, on the left, awaiting their prey with dropped jaws, like
tigers. Ah, what a fine sight 'twill be to see my poor man torn into
a hundred pieces by all these devils, and that in seven years, for he
said, as I heard well enough, that he would come back in seven years."
"Weep not, wife," said Smetse, "in seven years I may again be master
as I was to-day."
"But," said she, "if he had not gone up into the plum-tree, what
wouldst thou have done, poor beggar-man? And what if he will not let
himself fall a second time into thy snare as he did to-day?"
"Wife," said Smetse, "he will so fall, for my snares are from heaven,
and the things which are from God can always get the better of devils."
"Art not lying again?" she said. "And wilt tell me what they are?"
"That I cannot," said he, "for devils have sharp ears and would hear
me telling thee, no matter how low I spoke; and then I should be
taken off to hell without mercy."
"Ah," said she, "then I will not ask, though 'tis not pleasant for me
to live here in ignorance of everything, like a stranger. Nevertheless
I would rather have thee silent and saved than talking and damned."
"Wife," he said, "thou art wise when thou speakest so."
"I will pray," she said, "every day for thy deliverance, and have a
good mass said for thee at St. Bavon."
"But," said he, "is it with devil's money thou wilt pay for this mass?"
"Have no care for that," said she, "when this money enters the church
coffers 'twill become suddenly holy."
"Do as thou wilt, wife," said Smetse.
"Ah," said she, "My Lord Jesus shall have a stout candle each day,
and Madam the Virgin likewise."
"Do not forget my master St. Joseph," said Smetse, "for we owe
him much."