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第13章

the black tulip-第13章

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

descried a smile on his lips; or a flash of contentment 

glistening in his eyes; he poured out towards him such a 

volley of maledictions and furious threats as to make it 

indeed a matter of wonder that this venomous breath of envy 

and hatred did not carry a blight on the innocent flowers 

which had excited it。 



When the evil spirit has once taken hold of the heart of 

man; it urges him on; without letting him stop。 Thus Boxtel 

soon was no longer content with seeing Van Baerle。 He wanted 

to see his flowers; too; he had the feelings of an artist; 

the master…piece of a rival engrossed his interest。 



He therefore bought a telescope; which enabled him to watch 

as accurately as did the owner himself every progressive 

development of the flower; from the moment when; in the 

first year; its pale seed…leaf begins to peep from the 

ground; to that glorious one; when; after five years; its 

petals at last reveal the hidden treasures of its chalice。 

How often had the miserable; jealous man to observe in Van 

Baerle's beds tulips which dazzled him by their beauty; and 

almost choked him by their perfection! 



And then; after the first blush of the admiration which he 

could not help feeling; he began to be tortured by the pangs 

of envy; by that slow fever which creeps over the heart and 

changes it into a nest of vipers; each devouring the other 

and ever born anew。 How often did Boxtel; in the midst of 

tortures which no pen is able fully to describe;  how 

often did he feel an inclination to jump down into the 

garden during the night; to destroy the plants; to tear the 

bulbs with his teeth; and to sacrifice to his wrath the 

owner himself; if he should venture to stand up for the 

defence of his tulips! 



But to kill a tulip was a horrible crime in the eyes of a 

genuine tulip…fancier; as to killing a man; it would not 

have mattered so very much。 



Yet Van Baerle made such progress in the noble science of 

growing tulips; which he seemed to master with the true 

instinct of genius; that Boxtel at last was maddened to such 

a degree as to think of throwing stones and sticks into the 

flower…stands of his neighbour。 But; remembering that he 

would be sure to be found out; and that he would not only be 

punished by law; but also dishonoured for ever in the face 

of all the tulip…growers of Europe; he had recourse to 

stratagem; and; to gratify his hatred; tried to devise a 

plan by means of which he might gain his ends without being 

compromised himself。 



He considered a long time; and at last his meditations were 

crowned with success。 



One evening he tied two cats together by their hind legs 

with a string about six feet in length; and threw them from 

the wall into the midst of that noble; that princely; that 

royal bed; which contained not only the 〃Cornelius de Witt;〃 

but also the 〃Beauty of Brabant;〃 milk…white; edged with 

purple and pink; the 〃Marble of Rotterdam;〃 colour of flax; 

blossoms feathered red and flesh colour; the 〃Wonder of 

Haarlem;〃 the 〃Colombin obscur;〃 and the 〃Columbin clair 

terni。〃 



The frightened cats; having alighted on the ground; first 

tried to fly each in a different direction; until the string 

by which they were tied together was tightly stretched 

across the bed; then; however; feeling that they were not 

able to get off; they began to pull to and fro; and to wheel 

about with hideous caterwaulings; mowing down with their 

string the flowers among which they were struggling; until; 

after a furious strife of about a quarter of an hour; the 

string broke and the combatants vanished。 



Boxtel; hidden behind his sycamore; could not see anything; 

as it was pitch…dark; but the piercing cries of the cats 

told the whole tale; and his heart overflowing with gall now 

throbbed with triumphant joy。 



Boxtel was so eager to ascertain the extent of the injury; 

that he remained at his post until morning to feast his eyes 

on the sad state in which the two cats had left the 

flower…beds of his neighbour。 The mists of the morning 

chilled his frame; but he did not feel the cold; the hope of 

revenge keeping his blood at fever heat。 The chagrin of his 

rival was to pay for all the inconvenience which he incurred 

himself。 



At the earliest dawn the door of the white house opened; and 

Van Baerle made his appearance; approaching the flower…beds 

with the smile of a man who has passed the night comfortably 

in his bed; and has had happy dreams。 



All at once he perceived furrows and little mounds of earth 

on the beds which only the evening before had been as smooth 

as a mirror; all at once he perceived the symmetrical rows 

of his tulips to be completely disordered; like the pikes of 

a battalion in the midst of which a shell has fallen。 



He ran up to them with blanched cheek。 



Boxtel trembled with joy。 Fifteen or twenty tulips; torn and 

crushed; were lying about; some of them bent; others 

completely broken and already withering; the sap oozing from 

their bleeding bulbs: how gladly would Van Baerle have 

redeemed that precious sap with his own blood! 



But what were his surprise and his delight! what was the 

disappointment of his rival! Not one of the four tulips 

which the latter had meant to destroy was injured at all。 

They raised proudly their noble heads above the corpses of 

their slain companions。 This was enough to console Van 

Baerle; and enough to fan the rage of the horticultural 

murderer; who tore his hair at the sight of the effects of 

the crime which he had committed in vain。 



Van Baerle could not imagine the cause of the mishap; which; 

fortunately; was of far less consequence than it might have 

been。 On making inquiries; he learned that the whole night 

had been disturbed by terrible caterwaulings。 He besides 

found traces of the cats; their footmarks and hairs left 

behind on the battle…field; to guard; therefore; in future 

against a similar outrage; he gave orders that henceforth 

one of the under gardeners should sleep in the garden in a 

sentry…box near the flower…beds。 



Boxtel heard him give the order; and saw the sentry…box put 

up that very day; but he deemed himself lucky in not having 

been suspected; and; being more than ever incensed against 

the successful horticulturist; he resolved to bide his time。 



Just then the Tulip Society of Haarlem offered a prize for 

the discovery (we dare not say the manufacture) of a large 

black tulip without a spot of colour; a thing which had not 

yet been accomplished; and was considered impossible; as at 

that time there did not exist a flower of that species 

approaching even to a dark nut brown。 It was; therefore; 

generally said that the founders of the prize might just as 

well have offered two millions as a hundred thousand 

guilders; since no one would be able to gain it。 



The tulip…growing world; however; was thrown by it into a 

state of most active commotion。 Some fanciers caught at the 

idea without believing it practicable; but such is the power 

of imagination among florists; that although considering the 

undertaking as certain to fail; all their thoughts were 

engrossed by that great black tulip; which was looked upon 

to be as chimerical as the black swan of Horace or the white 

raven of French tradition。 



Van Baerle was one of the tulip…growers who were struck with 

the idea; Boxtel thought of it in the light of a 

speculation。 Van Baerle; as soon as the idea had once taken 

root in his clear and ingenious mind; began slowly the 

necessary planting and cross…breeding to reduce the tulips 

which he had grown already from red to brown; and from brown 

to dark brown。 



By the next year he had obtained flowers of a perfect 

nut…brown; and Boxtel espied them in the border; whereas he 

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