After that, Ulenspiegel was condemned to banishment from the land of Flanders for the space of three years, on condition that he went to Rome on pilgrimage and brought back with him the papal absolution. For this sentence Claes had to pay three florins: but he gave an extra florin to his son, and bought him a pilgrim's habit. Ulenspiegel was heart-broken when he came to say good-bye to Claes and Soetkin on the day of his departure. He embraced them both, and his mother was all in tears; but she accompanied him far on his way, and Claes went too, and many of the townsmen and townswomen. When they were home again Claes said to his wife: "Good wife, it is very hard that such a boy should be condemned to this cruel punishment and all for a few silly words." "Why, you are crying, my man!" said Soetkin. "Truly, you love him more than you like to show. Yes, you are sobbing now with a man's sobs, sobs that are like unto the tears of a lion." But he answered her not. As for Nele, she had gone to hide herself in the barn, so that none might see that she also wept for Ulenspiegel. But she followed afar after Soetkin and Claes and the other townsfolk: and when she saw her lover disappearing in the distance, she ran after him and threw herself on his neck. "In Italy you will meet many beautiful ladies," she said. "I do not know about their being beautiful," he replied, "but fresh like thee--no. For they are all parched with the sun." They walked a long way side by side, and Ulenspiegel seemed thoughtful, muttering from time to time: "I'll make 'em pay--I'll make 'em pay for their Masses for the dead!" "What Masses are those you speak of?" Nele inquired. "And who is to pay for them?" Ulenspiegel answered: "All the deans, curés, clerks, beadles and the rest, both superior and inferior, who feed us with their trash. See now, if I had happened to be a strong working man they would have robbed me of the value of three years' labour by making me thus to go on this pilgrimage. But as things are, it is the poor Claes who pays. Ah, but they shall give me back my three years a hundredfold, and with their own money I myself will sing for them their Masses for the dead!" "Alas, Tyl!" said Nele, "be prudent, or they will have you burnt alive." "I am fireproof," answered Ulenspiegel. And they parted from one another, she all in tears, he heart-broken and angry. XXIV Once in the open country, Ulenspiegel shook himself like a dog, or like a bird that has regained its liberty, and his heart was cheered by the trees and fields and the bright sunshine.