The great bell, the Borgstorm, rang out on the morrow to summon to the Vierschare the aldermen and the clerks of the court. There they sat on four banks of turf under the noble lime-tree which was called the Tree of Justice. And round about stood the common people. When he was examined the fishmonger would confess nothing. All he did was to repeat continually: "I am poor and old, have mercy upon me." But the people howled at him, saying: "You are an old wolf, destroyer of children; have no pity, sir judges." "Let him pay! Let him pay!" cried Toria. But the fishmonger entreated again most piteously: "I am poor. Leave me alone." Then, since he would not say anything of his own free will, he was condemned to be tortured until he should confess how he had committed the murders, whence he came, and where he had hidden the remains of the victims and their money. So now he was brought to the torture chamber, and on his feet were put the iron shoes of torture, and the bailiff asked him how it was that Satan had inspired him with designs so black and crimes so abominable. Then at last he made answer: "Satan is myself, my essential nature. Even as a child, ugly as I was and unskilled in all bodily exercises, I was regarded as a simpleton by every one and was continually being beaten. Neither girl nor boy had any pity for me, and as I grew up no woman would have anything to do with me, not even for payment. So I conceived a hatred for the whole human race, and for this reason I betrayed the man Claes who was beloved by all. Thereafter I was attracted more than ever by the idea of living like a wolf, and I dreamed of tearing flesh with my teeth. And I killed two wolves in the woods of Raveschoet and Maldeghem, and I sewed together their two skins as a covering. And by day and by night I wandered along the sand-dunes, and especially on Saturdays--the day of the market at Bruges." Then the bailiff said: "Repent and pray to God." But the fishmonger blasphemed, saying: "It is God himself who willed me to be as I am. I did all in spite of myself, led on by the will of nature. Evil tigers that you are, you will punish me unjustly." But he was condemned to die the death, and Toria cried aloud: "Justice is done. He shall pay the penalty." And all the people cried: "Lang leve de Heeren van de wet!--Long live the Officers of the Law!" The next morning at early dawn, as they were bringing him to the place of punishment, he saw Ulenspiegel standing near the pile and he pointed his finger at him, crying: "There is a man who ought to die no less than I. For ten years ago it was that he threw me into the Damme canal because I had denounced his father. But in that I had acted as a loyal subject to His Most Catholic Majesty." And the bells of Notre Dame tolled for the dead. "For you also the bells are tolling," said he to Ulenspiegel. "You will be hanged. For you have committed murder." "Is this true?" demanded the bailiff. Ulenspiegel answered: