my true friend, for an thou wert not, thou wouldest not take upon thee to avenge me. And now thou hast the innermost thoughts of my heart: so now do thou tell me what thou art minded to do." Upon that I thought, "The devil trust thee, for I do not: if I take money from thee for the journey I may well be the first whom thou slayest: and if I stay with thee I must expect some time to be hanged with thee." So I determined I would befool him, tarrying with him till I could find opportunity to be quit of him: and so I said if he would suffer me I would stay with him a day or a week to see if I could accustom myself to his manner of life: and if it pleased me he should find in me a true friend and a good soldier: and if it pleased me not, we could at any time part in peace. And on that he drank to my health, yet I trusted him not, and feigned to be drunken before I was so, to see if he would be at me when I could not defend myself. Meanwhile the fleas did mightily plague me, whereof I had brought good store from Breisach; for when it grew warm they were no longer content to remain in my rags but walked abroad to take their pleasure. Of that Oliver was aware, and asked me had I lice? To which I answered, "Yea, indeed, and more than I can hope to have ducats in my life." "Say not so," said Oliver, "for if thou wilt abide with me thou canst earn more ducats than thou hast lice now." I answered, "'Tis as impossible as that I can be quit of my lice." "Yea," says he, "but both are possible": and with that he commanded the peasant to fetch me a suit that lay in a hollow tree near the house; which was a grey hat, a cape of elk-skin, a pair of scarlet breeches, and a grey coat: and shoes and stockings would he give me next day. So as I saw him so generous I trusted him somewhat better than before, and went to bed content. _Chap. xv._: HOW SIMPLICISSIMUS THOUGHT MORE PIOUSLY WHEN HE WENT A-PLUNDERING THAN DID OLIVER WHEN HE WENT TO CHURCH So the next morning, as day began to break, says Oliver, "Up, Simplicissimus; we will fare forth in God's name to see what we can come by." "Good Lord," thought I, "must I then in thy holy name go a-thieving?" I that aforetime when I left my good hermit could not hear without marvelling when one man said to another, "Come, brother, we will in God's name take off a cup of wine together"? for that I counted a double sin, that a man should be drunken, and drunken in God's name. "My heavenly Father," thought I, "how am I changed since then! My faithful Lord, what will at last become of me if I turn not? Oh! check thou my course, that will assuredly bring me to hell if I repent not."