And the constables rose up trembling with terror and seized their ropes and chains. But the butchers, together with Lamme and Ulenspiegel, thrust their knives quickly back into their cases, and sprang up to run nimbly through the chamber, hitting out right and left with their chairs as though they had been cudgels. And they spared nothing there except the girls, for everything else they brake in pieces--furniture, windows, chests, plates, pots, trenchers, glasses, and flagons, hitting out at the constables without mercy, and crying out all the time in the rhythm of the mattress-beaters: "'T is van te beven de klinkaert. 'T is van te beven de klinkaert." And Ulenspiegel, who had given La Stevenyne a blow on the nose with his fist, and had taken all her keys and put them into his satchel, was now amusing himself by forcing her to eat those candles of hers. And the girls laughed at the sight of her as she sneezed with anger and tried to spit out the candles--but in vain, for her mouth was too full. And all the time Ulenspiegel and the seven butchers did not cease the rhythm of their dire refrain: "'T is van te beven de klinkaert." But at last Ulenspiegel made a sign, and when silence had at last been restored he spake, saying: "You are here, my friends, in our power. It is a dark night and the River Lys is close at hand, where a man drowns easily if he is once pushed in. And the gates of Courtrai are shut." Then turning to the seven butchers: "You are bound for Peteghen, to join the Beggarmen?" "We were ready to go there when the news came to us that you were here." "And from Peteghen you were going to the sea?" "Yes," they said. "Do you think there are one or two among these constables whom it would be safe to release for our service?" "There are two," they said, "Niklaes and Joos by name, who have never as yet been guilty of persecuting the poor Reformers." "You can trust us!" said Niklaes and Joos. "Very well then," said Ulenspiegel. "Here are twenty caroluses for you, twice as much, that is, as you would have got for an act of shameful betrayal." And at that the other five constables cried out as one man: "Twenty florins! We will serve the Prince for twenty florins. The King's pay is bad. Only give us half as much and we will tell the judge any tale you please." But Lamme and the butchers kept muttering under their breath: "'T is van te beven de klinkaert. 'T is van te beven de klinkaert." "In order that you may be kept from too much talking," Ulenspiegel continued, "the seven will lead you in handcuffs to Peteghen, and there you will be given over into the hands of the Beggarmen. The florins will be handed to you at sea, and if you prove brave in battle you will have your share of the spoil. If you attempt to desert you will be hanged." "We will serve him who pays us," they said. "'T is van te beven de klinkaert! 'T is van te beven de klinkaert," murmured the seven.