[_As D’Eglantiers attempts to leave by the back door, Michiel enters, accompanied by several Soldiers, and knocks him down with a pitchfork, while Taelinck is being held by Van Werve. Edeling, Nicolaas, Soldiers, and Armed Villagers enter by the front door, and disarm Pluckx and the rest of the Belgians._]
_Michiel._ Halt! Captain! you were mistaken after all! “Oranje boven!”
_D’Eglantiers._ Traitor of a Burgomaster!
_Michiel._ See there! I knew we should catch them.
_Nicolaas_ (_to the Dutch leader, pointing at Michiel_). Captain, you had better secure this rascal! it was he who brought the rebels here.
_Michiel_ (_as he is seized by the Dutch_). How! what?—why, I showed you the way myself!
_Maria._ The pitcher to the well—Michiel!
[_The insurgents and Michiel are led away._]
_Edeling_ (_seeing Maria_). Good-morning, my lass—didn’t I come back to see you, as I said I would? (_To the others._) This is the girl who helped me to escape.
He who lives with cripples learns to limp.
They are not all princes who ride with the emperor.
He howls with the wolves when he is in the wood, and bleats with the sheep in the field.
The fowl that cackles most does not lay most eggs.
One can see by the stockings whose leg is broken.
You should hang your cloak towards the wind.
No man ever limped for another’s sore foot.
It’s ill stealing where the host is a thief.
When slovenly people turn over a new leaf they polish the bottoms of the saucepans.
What belongs to the ravens[30] will never drown.
What the sow does the little pigs must pay for.
With much pounding the stockfish becomes tender.
’Tis an ill water, said the horse, for he could not swim.
Let them pump who are cold, I have my coat on.[32]
Let the plover peck, I have the eggs in my hat.
Though the ape should wear a golden ring, yet he is an ugly thing.
He who has a fine cat should bring no furrier into his house.
Lands become sand, sands become land. (_Landen versanden, sanden verlanden._ An epitome of the physical history of Holland.)
When the gnats dance in January the farmer comes to beggary.
Beware of a fair Spaniard and a swarthy Englishman.
Better sit still with an owl than fly with a falcon.
The first man in the boat has the choice of oars.
It’s the third strand that holds the cable.