uspects me already, and,
should he find his suspicion confirmed, I were a dead man on the spot,
and he would carry back the women into France again."

"Was henker! [what the deuce!]" said the lanzknecht, "we are three--we
will attack them tomorrow, and carry the women off without going
farther. You said the two valets were cowards--you and your comrade may
manage them, and the Teufel [the devil] shall hold me, but I match your
Scots wildcat."

"You will find that foolhardy," said Hayraddin, "for besides that we
ourselves count not much in fighting, this spark hath matched himself
with the best knight in France, and come off with honour--I have seen
those who saw him press Dunois hard enough."

"Hagel and sturmwetter! [hail and stormy weather!] It is but your
cowardice that speaks," said the German soldier.

"I am no more a coward than yourself," said Hayraddin "but my trade
is not fighting.--If you keep the appointment where it was laid, it is
well--if not, I guide them safely to the Bishop's Palace, and William de
la Marck may easily possess himself of them there, provided he is half
as strong as he pretended a week since."

"Poz tausend! [Zounds!]" said the soldier, "we are as strong and
stronger, but we hear of a hundreds of the lances of Burgund,--das ist,
see you,--five men to a lance do make five hundreds, and then hold me
the devil, they will be fainer to seek for us, than we to seek for them,
for der Bischoff hath a goot force on footing--ay, indeed!"

"You must then hold to the ambuscade at the Cross of the Three Kings, or
give up the adventure," said the Bohemian.

"Geb up--geb up the adventure of the rich bride for our noble hauptman
[leader or captain]--Teufel! I will charge through hell first.--Mein
soul, we will be all princes and hertzogs, whom they call dukes, and
we will hab a snab at the wein kellar [wine cellar], and at the mouldy
French crowns, and it may be at the pretty garces too [meaning the
countesses], when He with de beard is weary on them."

"The ambuscade at the Cross of the Three Kings then still holds?" said
the Bohemian.

"Mein Gob ay,--you will swear to bring them there, and when they are on
their knees before the cross, and down from off their horses, which all
men do, except such black heathens as thou, we will make in on them and
they are ours."

"Ay, but I promised this piece of necessary villainy only on one
condition," said Hayraddin.--"I will not have a hair of the you