He suspects 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 young man's head touched.

If you swear this to me, by your Three Dead Men of Cologne, I will swear to you, by the Seven Night Walkers, that I will serve you truly as to the rest.

And if you break your oath, the Night Walkers shall wake you seven nights from your sleep, between night and morning, and, on the eighth, they shall strangle and devour you." "But donner and bagel, what need you be so curious about the life of this boy, who is neither your bloot nor kin ?" said the German.
"No matter for that, honest Heinrick, some men have pleasure in cutting throats, some in keeping them whole .-- So swear to me, that you will spare him life and limb, or by the bright star Aldebaran, this matter shall go no farther .-- Swear, and by the Three Kings, as you call them, of Cologne--I know you care for no other oath." "Du bist ein comische man [thou art a droll fellow]," said the lanzknecht, "I swear." "Not yet," said the Bohemian.

"Face about, brave lanzknecht, and look to the east, else the Kings may not hear you." The soldier took the oath in the manner prescribed, and then declared that he would be in readiness, observing the place was quite convenient, being scarce five miles from their present leaguer.
"But were it not making sure work to have a fahnlein [a regiment or company] of riders on the other road, by the left side of the inn, which might trap them if they go that way ?" The Bohemian considered a moment, and then answered.