In the meantime Nele was taking care of Katheline, who was still
out of her mind and who called continually upon Hanske, her ice-cold
lover. But sometimes Nele would leave her mother safely guarded in the
house of some kindly neighbour, and herself would wander far and wide
and all alone, even unto Antwerp, searching ever, among the ships on
the river, or along the dusty roads, for Ulenspiegel.
And at home, also, in the house of Claes, it was evil days. Claes
worked sadly on his land alone, for there was not enough work for
two. And Soetkin stayed in the cottage by herself, cooking the beans
which formed their daily fare in a hundred different ways, so that
she might have something to enliven her husband's appetite. And she
sang and laughed all the time, so that he might not be grieved by
seeing her unhappy.
One day a man on horseback drew up in front of the cottage. He was
dressed all in black, he was very thin, and very sad of countenance.
"Is any one within?" he asked.
"God bless your sadness," answered Soetkin, "but am I a phantom,
that seeing me here you must yet inquire if there is any one within?"
"Where is your father?" asked the horseman.
"If my father's name is Claes, he is over there," Soetkin told
him. "You will find him sowing corn."
The horseman departed in the direction in which she had pointed,
and Soetkin also went her way ruefully, for this was the sixth time
that she had had to go to the baker's to buy bread with no money to
pay for it.
On returning empty-handed to the cottage, Soetkin was amazed to see
Claes coming down the road triumphantly seated on the horse of the man
in black. He looked very proud of himself, and the man in black walked
by his side holding the horse's bridle. Hanging at his side, Claes
held a leathern bag which appeared to be full of things. Dismounting
from the horse, Claes embraced his companion, gave him a playful pat
upon the back, and then, shaking the bag, cried out in a loud voice:
"Long life to Josse, my brother, the good hermit of Meyborg! May
God keep him in joy and fatness, in happiness and health! Our Josse,
patron of plenty, and of all abundance, and rich soups!"
And so saying he took up the sack and deposited it upon the table. But
Soetkin said sadly:
"My good man, we shall not eat this day. The baker has refused to
give me any bread."
"Bread?" cried Claes, opening the sack and letting a river of golden
coins roll out on the table. "Bread? Here is bread and butter, meat,
wine, beer! Here are hams, marrow-bones, pasties, ortolans, fatted
poulets, castrelins, all just as you might find them in the houses of
the rich! Bread indeed! Here are casks of beer and kegs of wine! Mad
must be the baker who will refuse to give us bread. Verily we will
deal at his shop no more!"
"But, my good man!" said Soetkin amazed.
"Nay, listen," said Claes, "and make the most of your good fortune. For
these are the facts. Katheline, it seems, has lately been to Meyborg
in Germany, and Nele with her, on a visit to my eldest brother Josse,
who dwells there as a hermit. Nele told my brother how that we were
living in poverty, notwithstanding that we work so hard. And now,
if we are to believe this good messenger"--and here Claes pointed
to the black horseman--"Josse has left the holy Roman religion and
abandoned himself to the heresy of Luther."
The man in black made answer:
"It is they that are heretics, they who follow the cult of the Scarlet
Woman. For the Pope is a cheat and a trader in holy things."
"Oh!" cried Soetkin, "speak not so loud, sir. You will have us burned
alive, all three."
"Well," continued Claes, "it appears that Josse has made known to this
good messenger that inasmuch as he is going to fight in the army of
Frederic of Saxony, and is bringing him fifty armed men fully equipped,
he has no need of much money to leave it to the hands of some wretch
of a landsknecht, now that he himself is going to the war. Therefore,
says he, take it to my brother Claes, and render to him, with my
blessing, these seven hundred florins. Tell him to live virtuously,
and to ponder the salvation of his soul."
"Yea, verily," said the horseman, "now is the time. For God will
reward every man according to his works, and every man according to
his merit."
"Good sir," said Claes, "it is not forbidden, I trust, to rejoice
in the meantime at this good news? Deign, then, to stay with us,
and we will celebrate our fortune with a nice dinner of tripe,
well boiled, and a knuckle of that ham which I saw just now at the
pork-butcher's. Of a truth, it looked so plump and tasty that my
teeth almost shot out of my mouth to close thereon."
"Alas!" said the stranger, "the foolish make merry while the eye of
the Lord is yet upon them."
"Come now, messenger," said Claes, "will you eat and drink with us
or will you not?"
The man answered: "It will be time enough for the faithful to think
about such earthly joys when mighty Babylon has fallen."
Seeing Claes and Soetkin cross themselves, he made as though to leave
them. But Claes said to him:
"Since you persist in leaving us without accepting of our hospitality,
will you at least give to my brother the kiss of peace on my behalf,
and look after him well at the wars."
"That will I," said the man.
And he departed from them, while Soetkin went to make her preparations
for celebrating their good fortune.
Now it was quickly noised abroad through the town that Claes that was
once so poor had now become rich through the generosity of his brother
Josse. And the Dean of Damme was heard to say that it was Katheline no
doubt who had laid a charm on Josse, and he said this because Claes,
although he had received a large sum of money from his brother,
had given not so much as a single vestment to Notre Dame. But Claes
and Soetkin were happy again, Claes working in the fields or looking
after his business of charcoal-burning, while Soetkin attended to her
home right valiantly. Yet still was she sorrowful at heart, scanning
ever with her eyes the open road if perchance she might see her son
Ulenspiegel returning back to her. And thus it was these three lived
on and experienced the happiness which comes from God while waiting
for that which was going to come to them from men.