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第12章

the black tulip-第12章

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his paintings; and he took half a degree from his 

neighbour's tulips。 



The law was for Van Baerle; and Boxtel had to abide by it。 



Besides; Isaac had made the discovery that too much sun was 

injurious to tulips; and that this flower grew quicker; and 

had a better colouring; with the temperate warmth of 

morning; than with the powerful heat of the midday sun。 He 

therefore felt almost grateful to Cornelius van Baerle for 

having given him a screen gratis。 



Maybe this was not quite in accordance with the true state 

of things in general; and of Isaac Boxtel's feelings in 

particular。 It is certainly astonishing what rich comfort 

great minds; in the midst of momentous catastrophes; will 

derive from the consolations of philosophy。 



But alas! What was the agony of the unfortunate Boxtel on 

seeing the windows of the new story set out with bulbs and 

seedlings of tulips for the border; and tulips in pots; in 

short; with everything pertaining to the pursuits of a 

tulip…monomaniac! 



There were bundles of labels; cupboards; and drawers with 

compartments; and wire guards for the cupboards; to allow 

free access to the air whilst keeping out slugs; mice; 

dormice; and rats; all of them very curious fanciers of 

tulips at two thousand francs a bulb。 



Boxtel was quite amazed when he saw all this apparatus; but 

he was not as yet aware of the full extent of his 

misfortune。 Van Baerle was known to be fond of everything 

that pleases the eye。 He studied Nature in all her aspects 

for the benefit of his paintings; which were as minutely 

finished as those of Gerard Dow; his master; and of Mieris; 

his friend。 Was it not possible; that; having to paint the 

interior of a tulip…grower's; he had collected in his new 

studio all the accessories of decoration? 



Yet; although thus consoling himself with illusory 

suppositions; Boxtel was not able to resist the burning 

curiosity which was devouring him。 In the evening; 

therefore; he placed a ladder against the partition wall 

between their gardens; and; looking into that of his 

neighbour Van Baerle; he convinced himself that the soil of 

a large square bed; which had formerly been occupied by 

different plants; was removed; and the ground disposed in 

beds of loam mixed with river mud (a combination which is 

particularly favourable to the tulip); and the whole 

surrounded by a border of turf to keep the soil in its 

place。 Besides this; sufficient shade to temper the noonday 

heat; aspect south…southwest; water in abundant supply; and 

at hand; in short; every requirement to insure not only 

success but also progress。 There could not be a doubt that 

Van Baerle had become a tulip…grower。 



Boxtel at once pictured to himself this learned man; with a 

capital of four hundred thousand and a yearly income of ten 

thousand guilders; devoting all his intellectual and 

financial resources to the cultivation of the tulip。 He 

foresaw his neighbour's success; and he felt such a pang at 

the mere idea of this success that his hands dropped 

powerless; his knees trembled; and he fell in despair from 

the ladder。 



And thus it was not for the sake of painted tulips; but for 

real ones; that Van Baerle took from him half a degree of 

warmth。 And thus Van Baerle was to have the most admirably 

fitted aspect; and; besides; a large; airy; and well 

ventilated chamber where to preserve his bulbs and 

seedlings; while he; Boxtel; had been obliged to give up for 

this purpose his bedroom; and; lest his sleeping in the same 

apartment might injure his bulbs and seedlings; had taken up 

his abode in a miserable garret。 



Boxtel; then; was to have next door to him a rival and 

successful competitor; and his rival; instead of being some 

unknown; obscure gardener; was the godson of Mynheer 

Cornelius de Witt; that is to say; a celebrity。 



Boxtel; as the reader may see; was not possessed of the 

spirit of Porus; who; on being conquered by Alexander; 

consoled himself with the celebrity of his conqueror。 



And now if Van Baerle produced a new tulip; and named it the 

John de Witt; after having named one the Cornelius? It was 

indeed enough to choke one with rage。 



Thus Boxtel; with jealous foreboding; became the prophet of 

his own misfortune。 And; after having made this melancholy 

discovery; he passed the most wretched night imaginable。 









Chapter 6



The Hatred of a Tulip…fancier





From that moment Boxtel's interest in tulips was no longer a 

stimulus to his exertions; but a deadening anxiety。 

Henceforth all his thoughts ran only upon the injury which 

his neighbour would cause him; and thus his favourite 

occupation was changed into a constant source of misery to him。 



Van Baerle; as may easily be imagined; had no sooner begun 

to apply his natural ingenuity to his new fancy; than he 

succeeded in growing the finest tulips。 Indeed; he knew 

better than any one else at Haarlem or Leyden  the two 

towns which boast the best soil and the most congenial 

climate  how to vary the colours; to modify the shape; and 

to produce new species。 



He belonged to that natural; humorous school who took for 

their motto in the seventeenth century the aphorism uttered 

by one of their number in 1653;  〃To despise flowers is to 

offend God。〃 



From that premise the school of tulip…fanciers; the most 

exclusive of all schools; worked out the following syllogism 

in the same year:  



〃To despise flowers is to offend God。 



〃The more beautiful the flower is; the more does one offend 

God in despising it。 



〃The tulip is the most beautiful of all flowers。 



〃Therefore; he who despises the tulip offends God beyond 

measure。〃 



By reasoning of this kind; it can be seen that the four or 

five thousand tulip…growers of Holland; France; and 

Portugal; leaving out those of Ceylon and China and the 

Indies; might; if so disposed; put the whole world under the 

ban; and condemn as schismatics and heretics and deserving 

of death the several hundred millions of mankind whose hopes 

of salvation were not centred upon the tulip。 



We cannot doubt that in such a cause Boxtel; though he was 

Van Baerle's deadly foe; would have marched under the same 

banner with him。 



Mynheer van Baerle and his tulips; therefore; were in the 

mouth of everybody; so much so; that Boxtel's name 

disappeared for ever from the list of the notable 

tulip…growers in Holland; and those of Dort were now 

represented by Cornelius van Baerle; the modest and 

inoffensive savant。 



Engaging; heart and soul; in his pursuits of sowing; 

planting; and gathering; Van Baerle; caressed by the whole 

fraternity of tulip…growers in Europe; entertained nor the 

least suspicion that there was at his very door a pretender 

whose throne he had usurped。 



He went on in his career; and consequently in his triumphs; 

and in the course of two years he covered his borders with 

such marvellous productions as no mortal man; following in 

the tracks of the Creator; except perhaps Shakespeare and 

Rubens; have equalled in point of numbers。 



And also; if Dante had wished for a new type to be added to 

his characters of the Inferno; he might have chosen Boxtel 

during the period of Van Baerle's successes。 Whilst 

Cornelius was weeding; manuring; watering his beds; whilst; 

kneeling on the turf border; he analysed every vein of the 

flowering tulips; and meditated on the modifications which 

might be effected by crosses of colour or otherwise; Boxtel; 

concealed behind a small sycamore which he had trained at 

the top of the partition wall in the shape of a fan; 

watched; with his eyes starting from their sockets and with 

foaming mouth; every step and every gesture of his 

neighbour; and whenever he thought he saw him look happy; or 

descried a smile on his lips; 

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