"Cinque, quatre, and ace Bring many a man to disgrace; Quatre, and cinque, and tré Make many to cry well-a-day; An ace, a seize, and a deuce Make many an empty house; A quatre, a trois, and cinque Cause many pure water to drink; A cinque, a trois, and quatre Make parents' and children's eyes water; From cinque, and quatre, and seize, Miss Catherine and Miss Elize Must long unmarried remain, Unless from your play you refrain." Long Peter and his associates praised his singing, and reached him the flask with their thanks. "May God bless you!" said the singer, as he returned the bottle; "I wish you luck in your campaign. If I don't mistake, you are the commanders of the League, and are on your march to the enemy. May I ask who you are going against?" The men looked and smiled at each other, but the general answered him: "you are quite in the wrong. We did, indeed, serve the League formerly, but we are now free and our own masters, ready to assist any one who wants us." "This will be a good year for the Swiss, for it is said the Duke will return to his country with their assistance," said the peasant. "May the Swiss be hunted by wolves," said the general, "for having treated him so ill! The good Duke set all his hopes upon them, and, _diavolo maledetto_! did they not desert him in Blaubeuren?" "Yes, it was too bad," said Captain Muckerle; "but when one looks at the circumstance in its proper light, it served him half right, because he should have known them better. May the devil take them all!" "They were the Duke's last resource," replied the musician; "but if he had trusted to such men as you, the League would still be at Ulm." "You have spoken a true word there, my hearty friend!" said the captain. "He ought to have preferred the lansquenets before those Swiss dogs. And if he trusts to them now, I know what will happen. I say it again: he should take lansquenets. Is it not so, Magdeburger?" "That's my opinion also," said the Magdeburger: "no other than lansquenets can seat the Duke upon his chair again. The Swiss only know how to use their long halberds; that's all their art. But you ought to see us load our guns, how we lay them in the fork, and fire them with a match. No one can come near us in that man[oe]uvre. The Swiss take half an hour to fire their guns, but we only half of a quarter." "With all respect, gentlemen of this noble corps," said the peasant, raising his cap respectfully, "the Duke should certainly have thrown himself upon your bounty. But the League rewarded you too well for the poor Duke to be able to crave your assistance."