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第4章

the black tulip-第4章

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stairs; after the conversation with the jailer Gryphus and 

his daughter Rosa; had reached the door of the cell; where 

on a mattress his brother Cornelius was resting; after 

having undergone the preparatory degrees of the torture。 The 

sentence of banishment having been pronounced; there was no 

occasion for inflicting the torture extraordinary。 



Cornelius was stretched on his couch; with broken wrists and 

crushed fingers。 He had not confessed a crime of which he 

was not guilty; and now; after three days of agony; he once 

more breathed freely; on being informed that the judges; 

from whom he had expected death; were only condemning him to 

exile。 



Endowed with an iron frame and a stout heart; how would he 

have disappointed his enemies if they could only have seen; 

in the dark cell of the Buytenhof; his pale face lit up by 

the smile of the martyr; who forgets the dross of this earth 

after having obtained a glimpse of the bright glory of 

heaven。 



The warden; indeed; had already recovered his full strength; 

much more owing to the force of his own strong will than to 

actual aid; and he was calculating how long the formalities 

of the law would still detain him in prison。 



This was just at the very moment when the mingled shouts of 

the burgher guard and of the mob were raging against the two 

brothers; and threatening Captain Tilly; who served as a 

rampart to them。 This noise; which roared outside of the 

walls of the prison; as the surf dashing against the rocks; 

now reached the ears of the prisoner。 



But; threatening as it sounded; Cornelius appeared not to 

dream it worth his while to inquire after its cause; nor did 

he get up to look out of the narrow grated window; which 

gave access to the light and to the noise of the world 

without。 



He was so absorbed in his never…ceasing pain that it had 

almost become a habit with him。 He felt with such delight 

the bonds which connected his immortal being with his 

perishable frame gradually loosening; that it seemed to him 

as if his spirit; freed from the trammels of the body; were 

hovering above it; like the expiring flame which rises from 

the half…extinguished embers。 



He also thought of his brother; and whilst the latter was 

thus vividly present to his mind the door opened; and John 

entered; hurrying to the bedside of the prisoner; who 

stretched out his broken limbs and his hands tied up in 

bandages towards that glorious brother; whom he now 

excelled; not in services rendered to the country; but in 

the hatred which the Dutch bore him。 



John tenderly kissed his brother on the forehead; and put 

his sore hands gently back on the mattress。 



〃Cornelius; my poor brother; you are suffering great pain; 

are you not?〃 



〃I am suffering no longer; since I see you; my brother。〃 



〃Oh; my poor dear Cornelius! I feel most wretched to see you 

in such a state。〃 



〃And; indeed; I have thought more of you than of myself; and 

whilst they were torturing me; I never thought of uttering a 

complaint; except once; to say; 'Poor brother!' But now that 

you are here; let us forget all。 You are coming to take me 

away; are you not?〃 



〃I am。〃 



〃I am quite healed; help me to get up; and you shall see how 

I can walk。〃 



〃You will not have to walk far; as I have my coach near the 

pond; behind Tilly's dragoons。〃 



〃Tilly's dragoons! What are they near the pond for?〃 



〃Well;〃 said the Grand Pensionary with a melancholy smile 

which was habitual to him; 〃the gentlemen at the Town…hall 

expect that the people at the Hague would like to see you 

depart; and there is some apprehension of a tumult。〃 



〃Of a tumult?〃 replied Cornelius; fixing his eyes on his 

perplexed brother; 〃a tumult?〃 



〃Yes; Cornelius。〃 



〃Oh! that's what I heard just now;〃 said the prisoner; as if 

speaking to himself。 Then; turning to his brother; he 

continued;  



〃Are there many persons down before the prison。〃 



〃Yes; my brother; there are。〃 



〃But then; to come here to me  〃 



〃Well?〃 



〃How is it that they have allowed you to pass?〃 



〃You know well that we are not very popular; Cornelius;〃 

said the Grand Pensionary; with gloomy bitterness。 〃I have 

made my way through all sorts of bystreets and alleys。〃 



〃You hid yourself; John?〃 



〃I wished to reach you without loss of time; and I did what 

people will do in politics; or on the sea when the wind is 

against them;  I tacked。〃 



At this moment the noise in the square below was heard to 

roar with increasing fury。 Tilly was parleying with the 

burghers。 



〃Well; well;〃 said Cornelius; 〃you are a very skilful pilot; 

John; but I doubt whether you will as safely guide your 

brother out of the Buytenhof in the midst of this gale; and 

through the raging surf of popular hatred; as you did the 

fleet of Van Tromp past the shoals of the Scheldt to 

Antwerp。〃 



〃With the help of God; Cornelius; we'll at least try;〃 

answered John; 〃but; first of all; a word with you。〃 



〃Speak!〃 



The shouts began anew。 



〃Hark; hark!〃 continued Cornelius; 〃how angry those people 

are! Is it against you; or against me?〃 



〃I should say it is against us both; Cornelius。 I told you; 

my dear brother; that the Orange party; while assailing us 

with their absurd calumnies; have also made it a reproach 

against us that we have negotiated with France。〃 



〃What blockheads they are!〃 



〃But; indeed; they reproach us with it。〃 



〃And yet; if these negotiations had been successful; they 

would have prevented the defeats of Rees; Orsay; Wesel; and 

Rheinberg; the Rhine would not have been crossed; and 

Holland might still consider herself invincible in the midst 

of her marshes and canals。〃 



〃All this is quite true; my dear Cornelius; but still more 

certain it is; that if at this moment our correspondence 

with the Marquis de Louvois were discovered; skilful pilot 

as I am; I should not be able to save the frail barque which 

is to carry the brothers De Witt and their fortunes out of 

Holland。 That correspondence; which might prove to honest 

people how dearly I love my country; and what sacrifices I 

have offered to make for its liberty and glory; would be 

ruin to us if it fell into the hands of the Orange party。 I 

hope you have burned the letters before you left Dort to 

join me at the Hague。〃 



〃My dear brother;〃 Cornelius answered; 〃your correspondence 

with M。 de Louvois affords ample proof of your having been 

of late the greatest; most generous; and most able citizen 

of the Seven United Provinces。 I rejoice in the glory of my 

country; and particularly do I rejoice in your glory; John。 

I have taken good care not to burn that correspondence。〃 



〃Then we are lost; as far as this life is concerned;〃 

quietly said the Grand Pensionary; approaching the window。 



〃No; on the contrary; John; we shall at the same time save 

our lives and regain our popularity。〃 



〃But what have you done with these letters?〃 



〃I have intrusted them to the care of Cornelius van Baerle; 

my godson; whom you know; and who lives at Dort。〃 



〃Poor honest Van Baerle! who knows so much; and yet thinks 

of nothing but of flowers and of God who made them。 You have 

intrusted him with this fatal secret; it will be his ruin; 

poor soul!〃 



〃His ruin?〃 



〃Yes; for he will either be strong or he will be weak。 If he 

is strong; he will; when he hears of what has happened to 

us; boast of our acquaintance; if he is weak; he will be 

afraid on account of his connection with us: if he is 

strong; he will betray the secret by his boldness; if he is 

weak; he will allow it to be forced from him。 In either case 

he is lost; and so are we。 Let us; therefore; fly; fly; as 

long as there is still time。〃 



Cornelius de Witt; raising himself

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