The Legend of Ulenspiegel Volume Ii Part 45

"Hans," said Katheline, "thou wilt bring me again to the Sabbath and wilt rub me again with ointment; do not listen to Nele, she is bad: thou seest the blood, the soul has made the hole and would come forth: I shall die soon and I shall go into limbo where it burneth not."

"Hold thy tongue, mad witch, I know thee not," said the gentleman, "and know not what thou wouldst say."

"And yet," said Nele, "it was thou that camest with a companion and wouldst have given him to me for a husband: thou knowest that I would have none of him; what did he do, thy friend Hilbert, what did he do with his eyes after I had sunk my nails into them?"

"Nele is bad," said Katheline, "do not believe her, Hans, my darling: she is angry against Hilbert who would have taken her by force, but Hilbert cannot do it now; the worms have eaten him: and Hilbert was ugly. Hans, my darling, thou alone art goodly; Nele is bad."

Upon this the bailiff said:

"Women, go in peace."

But Katheline would by no means leave the place where her friend was. And they must needs bring her to her house by force.

And all the people there a.s.sembled cried out:

"Justice, Monseigneur, justice!"

The constables of the commune having come up at the noise, the bailiff bade them remain, and he said to the lords and gentlemen:

"Messeigneurs and Messires, notwithstanding all privileges protecting the ill.u.s.trious order of n.o.bility in the country of Flanders I must needs, upon the accusations and especially upon that of witchcraft, laid against Messire Joos Damman, have his person apprehended until he be judged according to the laws and ordinances of the Empire. Give me your sword, Messire Joos."

"Monseigneur Bailiff," said Joos Damman, with the utmost hauteur and pride of n.o.bility, "in apprehending my person you are transgressing the law of Flanders, for you are not yourself a judge. Now you are aware that it is permitted to arrest without a warrant from a judge only false coiners, robbers on public roads and highways; fire-raisers, ravishers of women; gendarmes deserting their captain; enchanters making use of poison to poison water springs; monks or nuns that have renounced their vows and banished men. And now, Messires and Messeigneurs, defend me!"

Some would have obeyed, but the bailiff said to them:

"Messeigneurs and Messires, as representing here our king, count, and overlord, to whom is reserved the decision of difficult cases, I command and order you, upon pain of being proclaimed rebels, to return your swords to their scabbards."

The gentlemen having obeyed, and Messire Joos Damman still hesitating, the people cried out:

"Justice, Monseigneur, justice; let him give up his sword."

He did so then against his will, and dismounting from his horse, he was brought by two constables to the prison of the commune.

All the same, he was not shut up in the cellars, but in a barred chamber, where he had, for payment, a good fire, a good bed, and good food, the half of which the gaoler took.

IV

On the next day the bailiff, the two clerks of the court, two aldermen, and a barber-surgeon went by Dudzeele to see if they might find in the field of Servaes van der Vichte the body of a man along by the d.y.k.e running through the field.

Nele had said to Katheline: "Hans, thy darling, asks for the severed hand of Hilbert: this evening he will cry like the sea-eagle; he will come into the cottage, and will bring thee the seven hundred florins carolus."

Katheline had replied: "I will cut it off." And indeed, she took a knife and went forth accompanied by Nele and followed by the officers of justice.

She walked swiftly and proudly beside Nele, whose pretty face the keen air made all rosy and glowing.

The officers of justice, old and coughing, followed her, frozen with cold; and they were all like black shadows on the white plain; and Nele carried a spade.

When they arrived in the field of Servaes van der Vichte and on the d.y.k.e, Katheline, walking up to the middle of it, said, pointing to the meadow on her right hand: "Hans, thou didst not know that I was hidden there, shivering at the noise of the swords. And Hilbert cried out: 'This iron is cold.' Hilbert was ugly; Hans is goodly. Thou shalt have his hand; leave me alone."

Then she went down on the left hand, knelt in the snow and cried three times into the air to call the spirit.

Nele then gave her the spade, upon which Katheline made the sign of the cross thrice; then she traced upon the ice the shape of a coffin and three crosses reversed, one on the side of the east, one on the side of the west, and one on the south; and she said: "Three, it is Mars beside Saturn, and three is discovery under Venus, the bright star." She traced after, about the coffin, a great circle, saying: "Begone, evil demon that guardest corpses." Then falling on her knees in prayer: "Devil friend, Hilbert," said she, "Hans, my master and lord, bids me come here and cut off thy hand and bring it to him. I owe him obedience: make not the earth-fire to leap out against me, because I disturb thy n.o.ble burying place: and forgive me in the name of G.o.d and of the Saints."

Then she broke the ice, following the outline of the coffin: she came to the damp sword, then to the sandy soil, and monseigneur the bailiff, his officers, Nele, and Katheline beheld the body of a young man, chalk-white by reason of the soil. He was clad in a doublet of gray cloth with a cloak of the same; his sword was laid by his side. At his belt he had a chain purse, and a big poignard planted under his heart; and there was blood upon the cloth of the doublet; and that blood had flowed under his back. And the man was young.

Katheline cut off his hand and put it in her pouch. And the bailiff let her do what she would, then bade her to strip the body of all its insignia and clothing. Katheline having asked if Hans had thus commanded, the bailiff replied that he did nothing save by his orders; and Katheline then did what he wished.

When the body was stripped, it was seen to be dry as wood, but not decayed: and the bailiff and the officers of the commune departed, having covered it again with sand: and the constables carried the cloth.

Pa.s.sing the front of the prison of the commune, the bailiff said to Katheline that Hans was awaiting her there; she went in joyously.

Nele wanted to prevent her, and Katheline always replied: "I would see Hans, my lord."

And Nele wept on the threshold, knowing that Katheline was arrested as a witch for the conjurations and figures she had made upon the snow.

And in Damme men said there could be no pardon for her.

And Katheline was put in the western cellar of the prison.

V

The next day, the wind blowing from Brabant, the snow melted and the meadows were flooded.

And the bell called borgstorm called the judges to the tribunal of the Vierschare, under the penthouse, because of the dampness of the turf.

And the populace surrounded the tribunal.

Joos Damman, being interrogated, confessed that he had killed his friend Hilbert in single combat with the sword. When they said to him: "He was smitten with a poignard," Joos Damman replied: "I struck him on the ground because he died not quick enough. I confess this murder of my own will, being under the protection of the laws of Flanders which forbid the prosecution, after ten years, of a manslayer."

The bailiff, addressing him:

"Art thou not a sorcerer?" said he.

"No," replied Damman.

"Prove this," said the bailiff.

"I will prove it at the proper time and place," said Joos Damman, "but it pleaseth me not to do so as now."

The bailiff then questioned Katheline; she never listened to him, and gazing at Hans: