"In the old days we, too, used to pass, my wife and I, loving each other under the eyes of those who like you and me, on the edge of ditches, were stretched out solitary and without a woman."
"Come and drink," said Ulenspiegel, "we shall find the Seven at the bottom of a quart."
"A drinker's word," answered Lamme: "you know the Seven are giants who could not stand upright under the big dome of the church of Saint Sauveur."
Ulenspiegel, thinking wretchedly of Nele, and also that in some hostelry he might perchance find a good bed, good supper, a comely hostess, said yet again:
But Lamme paid no heed, and said, looking at the tower of Notre Dame:
"Madame Holy Mary, patroness of lawful loves, grant me to see again her white bosom, that soft pillow."
"Come and drink," said Ulenspiegel, "you shall find her, displaying it to the drinkers, in a tavern."
"Dost thou dare think so ill of her?" said Lamme.
"Let us go and drink," said Ulenspiegel, "she is baesine somewhere, without a doubt."
"Perchance keepeth she in reserve for poor travellers a dish of goodly stewed beef, whose spices perfume the air, not too rich, tender, succulent as rose leaves, and swimming like Shrove Tuesday fishes amid cloves, nutmeg, cocks' combs, sweetbreads, and other celestial dainties."
"Cruel!" said Lamme, "you mean to kill me for sure. Do you not know that for two days we have lived on nothing but dry bread and small beer?"
"Hunger talk," answered Ulenspiegel. "You are weeping with appetite; come and eat and drink. I have here a fine half florin that will defray the cost of our feast."
Lamme laughed. They went to find their cart and thus went about the town, seeking to know which was the best inn. But seeing several crabbed countenances on the baes and no wise pleasing on the baesines, they passed on, thinking that a sour face is a poor sign for a hospitable kitchen.
They arrived at the Saturday Market and went into the hostelry called de Blauwe-Lanteern, the Blue-Lantern. Here there was a baes of pleasant aspect.
They put up their cart and had the ass lodged in the stable, in company with a peck of oats. They ordered supper to be served, ate their fill, slept well, and rose to eat again. Lamme, bursting with comfort, said: