Volume Ii Part 52 (1/2)

”Wilt thou repent and say that he did right?” said Tres-Long to Ulenspiegel.

”Word of a soldier is no more word of gold,” replied Ulenspiegel.

”Put on the rope,” said de Lumey.

The executioner was about to obey; a young girl, all clad in white and garlanded with flowers, ran up the stairs of the scaffold, leaped on Ulenspiegel's neck, and said:

”This man is mine; I take him for my husband.”

And the people applauded and the women cried out:

”Long live, long live the girl who is Ulenspiegel's saviour!”

”What is this?” asked Messire de Lumey.

Tres-Long answered:

”After the use and custom of the town, it is by right and law that a young maiden and unmarried woman can save a man from the rope by taking him for husband at the foot of the gallows.”

”G.o.d is with him,” said de Lumey; ”untie him.”

Then riding up to the scaffold, he saw the girl prevented from cutting Ulenspiegel's ropes and the executioner seeking to oppose her efforts and saying:

”If you cut them, who will pay for them?”

But the girl paid no heed to him.

Seeing her so light, so loving, and so subtle, he was touched.

”Who art thou?” said he.

”I am Nele, his betrothed,” said she, ”and I come from Flanders to seek him.”

”Thou didst well,” said de Lumey in a naughty voice.

And he went away.

Tres-Long then coming up:

”Little Fleming,” said he, ”once thou art married wilt thou be a soldier still in our s.h.i.+ps?”

”Aye, Messire,” answered Ulenspiegel.

”And thou, girl, what wilt thou do without thy man?” Nele answered:

”If you are willing, Messire, I will be fifer in his s.h.i.+p.”

”I am willing,” said Tres-Long.