the black tulip(黑郁金香)-第7章

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And　after　having　mangled；　and　torn；　and　completely　stripped　
the　two　brothers；　the　mob　dragged　their　naked　and　bloody　
bodies　to　an　extemporised　gibbet；　where　amateur　executioners　
hung　them　up　by　the　feet。　

Then　came　the　most　dastardly　scoundrels　of　all；　who　not　
having　dared　to　strike　the　living　flesh；　cut　the　dead　in　
pieces；　and　then　went　about　the　town　selling　small　slices　of　
the　bodies　of　John　and　Cornelius　at　ten　sous　a　piece。　

We　cannot　take　upon　ourselves　to　say　whether；　through　the　
almost　imperceptible　chink　of　the　shutter；　the　young　man　
witnessed　the　conclusion　of　this　shocking　scene；　but　at　the　
very　moment　when　they　were　hanging　the　two　martyrs　on　the　
gibbet　he　passed　through　the　terrible　mob；　which　was　too　
much　absorbed　in　the　task；　so　grateful　to　its　taste；　to　take　
any　notice　of　him；　and　thus　he　reached　unobserved　the　
Tol…Hek；　which　was　still　closed。　

〃Ah！　sir；〃　said　the　gatekeeper；　〃do　you　bring　me　the　key？〃　

〃Yes；　my　man；　here　it　is。〃　

〃It　is　most　unfortunate　that　you　did　not　bring　me　that　key　
only　one　quarter　of　an　hour　sooner；〃　said　the　gatekeeper；　
with　a　sigh。　

〃And　why　that？〃　asked　the　other。　

〃Because　I　might　have　opened　the　gate　to　Mynheers　de　Witt；　
whereas；　finding　the　gate　locked；　they　were　obliged　to　
retrace　their　steps。〃　

〃Gate！　gate！〃　cried　a　voice　which　seemed　to　be　that　of　a　man　
in　a　hurry。　

The　Prince；　turning　round；　observed　Captain　Van　Deken。　

〃Is　that　you；　Captain？〃　he　said。　〃You　are　not　yet　out　of　the　
Hague？　This　is　executing　my　orders　very　slowly。〃　

〃Monseigneur；〃　replied　the　Captain；　〃this　is　the　third　gate　
at　which　I　have　presented　myself；　the　other　two　were　
closed。〃　

〃Well；　this　good　man　will　open　this　one　for　you；　do　it；　my　
friend。〃　

The　last　words　were　addressed　to　the　gatekeeper；　who　stood　
quite　thunderstruck　on　hearing　Captain　Van　Deken　addressing　
by　the　title　of　Monseigneur　this　pale　young　man；　to　whom　he　
himself　had　spoken　in　such　a　familiar　way。　

As　it　were　to　make　up　for　his　fault；　he　hastened　to　open　the　
gate；　which　swung　creaking　on　its　hinges。　

〃Will　Monseigneur　avail　himself　of　my　horse？〃　asked　the　
Captain。　

〃I　thank　you；　Captain；　I　shall　use　my　own　steed；　which　is　
waiting　for　me　close　at　hand。〃　

And　taking　from　his　pocket　a　golden　whistle；　such　as　was　
generally　used　at　that　time　for　summoning　the　servants；　he　
sounded　it　with　a　shrill　and　prolonged　call；　on　which　an　
equerry　on　horseback　speedily　made　his　appearance；　leading　
another　horse　by　the　bridle。　

William；　without　touching　the　stirrup；　vaulted　into　the　
saddle　of　the　led　horse；　and；　setting　his　spurs　into　its　
flanks；　started　off　for　the　Leyden　road。　Having　reached　it；　
he　turned　round　and　beckoned　to　the　Captain　who　was　far　
behind；　to　ride　by　his　side。　

〃Do　you　know；〃　he　then　said；　without　stopping；　〃that　those　
rascals　have　killed　John　de　Witt　as　well　as　his　brother？〃　

〃Alas！　Monseigneur；〃　the　Captain　answered　sadly；　〃I　should　
like　it　much　better　if　these　two　difficulties　were　still　in　
your　Highness's　way　of　becoming　de　facto　Stadtholder　of　
Holland。〃　

〃Certainly；　it　would　have　been　better；〃　said　William；　〃if　
what　did　happen　had　not　happened。　But　it　cannot　be　helped　
now；　and　we　have　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　Let　us　push　on；　
Captain；　that　we　may　arrive　at　Alphen　before　the　message　
which　the　States…General　are　sure　to　send　to　me　to　the　
camp。〃　

The　Captain　bowed；　allowed　the　Prince　to　ride　ahead　and；　for　
the　remainder　of　the　journey；　kept　at　the　same　respectful　
distance　as　he　had　done　before　his　Highness　called　him　to　
his　side。　

〃How　I　should　wish；〃　William　of　Orange　malignantly　muttered　
to　himself；　with　a　dark　frown　and　setting　the　spurs　to　his　
horse；　〃to　see　the　figure　which　Louis　will　cut　when　he　is　
apprised　of　the　manner　in　which　his　dear　friends　De　Witt　
have　been　served！　Oh　thou　Sun！　thou　Sun！　as　truly　as　I　am　
called　William　the　Silent；　thou　Sun；　thou　hadst　best　look　to　
thy　rays！〃　

And　the　young　Prince；　the　relentless　rival　of　the　Great　
King；　sped　away　upon　his　fiery　steed；　　this　future　
Stadtholder　who　had　been　but　the　day　before　very　uncertainly　
established　in　his　new　power；　but　for　whom　the　burghers　of　
the　Hague　had　built　a　staircase　with　the　bodies　of　John　and　
Cornelius；　two　princes　as　noble　as　he　in　the　eyes　of　God　and　man。　




Chapter　5

The　Tulip…fancier　and　his　Neighbour


Whilst　the　burghers　of　the　Hague　were　tearing　in　pieces　the　
bodies　of　John　and　Cornelius　de　Witt；　and　whilst　William　of　
Orange；　after　having　made　sure　that　his　two　antagonists　were　
really　dead；　was　galloping　over　the　Leyden　road；　followed　by　
Captain　van　Deken；　whom　he　found　a　little　too　compassionate　
to　honour　him　any　longer　with　his　confidence；　Craeke；　the　
faithful　servant；　mounted　on　a　good　horse；　and　little　
suspecting　what　terrible　events　had　taken　place　since　his　
departure；　proceeded　along　the　high　road　lined　with　trees；　
until　he　was　clear　of　the　town　and　the　neighbouring　
villages。　

Being　once　safe；　he　left　his　horse　at　a　livery　stable　in　
order　not　to　arouse　suspicion；　and　tranquilly　continued　his　
journey　on　the　canal…boats；　which　conveyed　him　by　easy　
stages　to　Dort；　pursuing　their　way　under　skilful　guidance　by　
the　shortest　possible　routes　through　the　windings　of　the　
river；　which　held　in　its　watery　embrace　so　many　enchanting　
little　islands；　edged　with　willows　and　rushes；　and　abounding　
in　luxurious　vegetation；　whereon　flocks　of　fat　sheep　browsed　
in　peaceful　sleepiness。　Craeke　from　afar　off　recognised　
Dort；　the　smiling　city；　at　the　foot　of　a　hill　dotted　with　
windmills。　He　saw　the　fine　red　brick　houses；　mortared　in　
white　lines；　standing　on　the　edge　of　the　water；　and　their　
balconies；　open　towards　the　river；　decked　out　with　silk　
tapestry　embroidered　with　gold　flowers；　the　wonderful　
manufacture　of　India　and　China；　and　near　these　brilliant　
stuffs；　large　lines　set　to　catch　the　voracious　eels；　which　
are　attracted　towards　the　houses　by　the　garbage　thrown　every　
day　from　the　kitchens　into　the　river。　

Craeke；　standing　on　the　deck　of　the　boat；　saw；　across　the　
moving　sails　of　the　windmills；　on　the　slope　of　the　hill；　the　
red　and　pink　house　which　was　the　goal　of　his　errand。　The　
outlines　of　its　roof　were　merging　in　the　yellow　foliage　of　a　
curtain　of　poplar　trees；　the　whole　habitation　having　for　
background　a　dark　grove　of　gigantic　elms。　The　mansion　was　
situated　in　such　a　way　that　the　sun；　falling　on　it　as　into　a　
funnel；　dried　up；　warmed；　and　fertilised　the　mist　which　the　
verdant　screen　could　not　prevent　the　river　wind　from　
carrying　there　every　morning　and　evening。　

Having　disembarked　unobserved　amid　the　usual　bustle　of　the　
city；　Craeke　at　once　directed　his　steps　towards　the　house　
which　we　have　just　described；　and　which　　white；　trim；　and　
tidy；　even　more　cleanly　scoured　and　more　carefully　waxed　in　
the　hidden　corners　than　in　the　places　which　were　exposed　to　
view　　enclosed　a　truly　happy　mortal。　

This　happy　mortal；　rara　avis；　was　Dr。　van　Baerle；　the　godson　
of　Cornelius　de　Witt。　He　had　inhabited　the　same　house　ever　
since　his　childhood；　for　it　was　the　house　in　which　his　
father　and　grandfather；　old　established　princely　merchants　
of　the　princely　city　of　Dort；　were　born。　

Mynheer　van　Baerle　the　father　had　amassed　in　the　Indian　
trade　three　or　four　hundred　thousand　guilders；　which　Mynheer　
van　Baerle　the　son；　at　the　death　of　his　dear　and　worthy　
parents；　found　still　quite　new；　although　one　set　of　them　
bore　the　date　of　coinage　of　1640；　and　the　other　that　of　
1610；　a　fact　which　proved　that　they　were　guilders　of　Van　
Baerle　the　father　and　of　Van　Baerle　the　grandfather；　but　we　
will　inform　the　reader　at　once　that　these　three　or　four　
hundred　thousand　guilders　were　only　the　pocket　money；　or　
sort　of　purse；　for　Cornelius　van　Baerle；　the　hero　of　this　
story；　as　his　landed　property　in　the　province　yielded　him　an　
income　of　about　ten　thousand　guilders　a　year。　

When　the　worthy　citizen；　the　father　of　Cornelius；　passed　
from　time　into　eternity；　three　months　after　having　buried　
his　wife；　who　seemed　to　have　departed　first　to　smooth　for　
him　the　path　of　death　as　she　had　smoothed　for　him　the　path　
of　life；　he　said　to　his　son；　as　he　embraced　him　for　the　last　
time；　　

〃Eat；　drink；　and　spend　your　money；　if　you　wish　to　know　what　
life　really　is；　for　as　to　toiling　from　morn　to　evening　on　a　
wooden　stool；　or　a　leathern　chair；　in　a　counting…house　or　a　
laboratory；　that　certainly　is　not　living。　Your　time　to　die　
will　also　come；　and　if　you　are　not　then　so　fortunate　as　to　
have　a　son；　you　will　let　my　name　grow　extinct；　and　my　
guilders；　which　no　one　has　ever　fingered　but　my　father；　
myself；　and　the　coiner；　will　have　the　surprise　of　passing　to　
an　unknown　master。　And　least　of　all；　imitate　the　example　of　
your　godfather；　Cornelius　de　Witt；　who　has　plunged　into　
politics；　the　most　ungrateful　of　all　careers；　and　who　will　
certainly　come　to　an　untimely　end。〃　

Having　given　utterance　to　this　paternal　advice；　the　worthy　
Mynheer　van　Baerle　died；　to　the　intense　grief　of　his　son　
Cornelius；　who　cared　very　little　for　the　guilders；　and　very　
much　for　his　father。　

Cornelius　then　remained　alone　in　his　large　house。　In　vain　
his　godfather　offered　to　him　a　place　in　the　public　service；　
　in　vain　did　he　try　to　give　him　a　taste　for　glory；　　
although　Cornelius；　to　gratify　his　godfather；　did　embark　
with　De　Ruyter　upon　〃The　Seven　Provinces；〃　the　flagship　of　a　
fleet　of　one　hundred　and　thirty…nine　sail；　with　which　the　
famous　admiral　set　out　to　contend　singlehanded　against　the　
combined　forces　of　France　and　England。　When；　guided　by　the　
pilot　Leger；　he　had　come　within　musket…shot　of　the　〃Prince；〃　
with　the　Duke　of　York　（the　English　king's　brother）　aboard；　
upon　which　De　Ruyter；　his　mentor；　made　so　sharp　and　well　
directed　an　attack　that　the　Duke；　perceiving　that　his　vessel　
would　soon　have　to　strike；　made　the　best　of　his　way　aboard　
the　〃Saint　Michael〃；　when　he　had　seen　the　〃Saint　Michael；〃　
riddled　and　shattered　by　the　Dutch　broadside；　drift　out　of　
the　line；　when　he　had　witnessed　the　sinking　of　the　〃Earl　of　
Sandwich；〃　and　the　death　by　fire　or　drowning　of　four　hundred　
sailors；　when　he　realized　that　the　result　of　all　this　
destruction　　after　twenty　ships　had　been　blown　to　pieces；　
three　thousand　men　killed　and　five　thousand　injured　　was　
that　nothing　was　decided；　that　both　sides　claimed　the　
victory；　that　the　fighting　would　soon　begin　again；　and　that　
just　one　more　name；　that　of　Southwold　Bay；　had　been　added　to　
the　list　of　battles；　when　he　had　estimated　how　much　time　is　
lost　simply　in　shutting　his　eyes　and　ears　by　a　man　who　likes　
to　use　his　reflective　powers　even　while　his　fellow　creatures　
are　cannonading　one　another；　　Cornelius　bade　farewell　to　
De　Ruyter；　to　the　Ruart　de　Pulten；　and　to　glory；　kissed　the　
knees　of　the　Grand　Pensionary；　for　whom　he　entertained　the　
deepest　veneration；　and　retired　to　his　house　at　Dort；　rich　
in　his　well…earned　repose；　his　twenty…eight　years；　an　iron　
constitution　and　keen　perceptions；　and　his　capital　of　more　
than　four　hundred　thousands　of　florins　and　income　of　ten　
thousand；　convinced　that　a　man　is　always　endowed　by　Heaven　
wi