the black tulip-第5章

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long　as　there　is　still　time。〃　



Cornelius　de　Witt；　raising　himself　on　his　couch；　and　

grasping　the　hand　of　his　brother；　who　shuddered　at　the　touch　

of　his　linen　bandages；　replied；　　



〃Do　not　I　know　my　godson？　have　not　I　been　enabled　to　read　

every　thought　in　Van　Baerle's　mind；　and　every　sentiment　in　

his　heart？　You　ask　whether　he　is　strong　or　weak。　He　is　

neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　but　that　is　not　now　the　

question。　The　principal　point　is；　that　he　is　sure　not　to　

divulge　the　secret；　for　the　very　good　reason　that　he　does　

not　know　it　himself。〃　



John　turned　round　in　surprise。　



〃You　must　know；　my　dear　brother；　that　I　have　been　trained　in　

the　school　of　that　distinguished　politician　John　de　Witt；　

and　I　repeat　to　you；　that　Van　Baerle　is　not　aware　of　the　

nature　and　importance　of　the　deposit　which　I　have　intrusted　

to　him。〃　



〃Quick　then；〃　cried　John；　〃as　there　is　still　time；　let　us　

convey　to　him　directions　to　burn　the　parcel。〃　



〃Through　whom？〃　



〃Through　my　servant　Craeke；　who　was　to　have　accompanied　us　

on　horseback；　and　who　has　entered　the　prison　with　me；　to　

assist　you　downstairs。〃　



〃Consider　well　before　having　those　precious　documents　burnt；　

John！〃　



〃I　consider；　above　all　things；　that　the　brothers　De　Witt　

must　necessarily　save　their　lives；　to　be　able　to　save　their　

character。　If　we　are　dead；　who　will　defend　us？　Who　will　have　

fully　understood　our　intentions？〃　



〃You　expect；　then；　that　they　would　kill　us　if　those　papers　

were　found？〃　



John；　without　answering；　pointed　with　his　hand　to　the　

square；　whence；　at　that　very　moment；　fierce　shouts　and　

savage　yells　made　themselves　heard。　



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Cornelius；　〃I　hear　these　shouts　very　

plainly；　but　what　is　their　meaning？〃　



John　opened　the　window。　



〃Death　to　the　traitors！〃　howled　the　populace。　



〃Do　you　hear　now；　Cornelius？〃　



〃To　the　traitors！　that　means　us！〃　said　the　prisoner；　raising　

his　eyes　to　heaven　and　shrugging　his　shoulders。　



〃Yes；　it　means　us；〃　repeated　John。　



〃Where　is　Craeke？〃　



〃At　the　door　of　your　cell；　I　suppose。〃　



〃Let　him　enter　then。〃　



John　opened　the　door；　the　faithful　servant　was　waiting　on　

the　threshold。　



〃Come　in；　Craeke；　and　mind　well　what　my　brother　will　tell　

you。〃　



〃No；　John；　it　will　not　suffice　to　send　a　verbal　message；　

unfortunately；　I　shall　be　obliged　to　write。〃　



〃And　why　that？〃　



〃Because　Van　Baerle　will　neither　give　up　the　parcel　nor　burn　

it　without　a　special　command　to　do　so。〃　



〃But　will　you　be　able　to　write；　poor　old　fellow？〃　John　

asked；　with　a　look　on　the　scorched　and　bruised　hands　of　the　

unfortunate　sufferer。　



〃If　I　had　pen　and　ink　you　would　soon　see；〃　said　Cornelius。　



〃Here　is　a　pencil；　at　any　rate。〃　



〃Have　you　any　paper？　for　they　have　left　me　nothing。〃　



〃Here；　take　this　Bible；　and　tear　out　the　fly…leaf。〃　



〃Very　well；　that　will　do。〃　



〃But　your　writing　will　be　illegible。〃　



〃Just　leave　me　alone　for　that；〃　said　Cornelius。　〃The　

executioners　have　indeed　pinched　me　badly　enough；　but　my　

hand　will　not　tremble　once　in　tracing　the　few　lines　which　

are　requisite。〃　



And　really　Cornelius　took　the　pencil　and　began　to　write；　

when　through　the　white　linen　bandages　drops　of　blood　oozed　

out　which　the　pressure　of　the　fingers　against　the　pencil　

squeezed　from　the　raw　flesh。　



A　cold　sweat　stood　on　the　brow　of　the　Grand　Pensionary。　



Cornelius　wrote：　　



〃My　dear　Godson；　　



〃Burn　the　parcel　which　I　have　intrusted　to　you。　Burn　it　

without　looking　at　it；　and　without　opening　it；　so　that　its　

contents　may　for　ever　remain　unknown　to　yourself。　Secrets　of　

this　description　are　death　to　those　with　whom　they　are　

deposited。　Burn　it；　and　you　will　have　saved　John　and　

Cornelius　de　Witt。　



〃Farewell；　and　love　me。　



〃Cornelius　de　Witt　



〃August　20th；　1672。〃　



John；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　wiped　off　a　drop　of　the　noble　

blood　which　had　soiled　the　leaf；　and；　after　having　handed　

the　despatch　to　Craeke　with　a　last　direction；　returned　to　

Cornelius；　who　seemed　overcome　by　intense　pain；　and　near　

fainting。　



〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃when　honest　Craeke　sounds　his　coxswain's　

whistle；　it　will　be　a　signal　of　his　being　clear　of　the　

crowd；　and　of　his　having　reached　the　other　side　of　the　pond。　

And　then　it　will　be　our　turn　to　depart。〃　



Five　minutes　had　not　elapsed；　before　a　long　and　shrill　

whistle　was　heard　through　the　din　and　noise　of　the　square　of　

the　Buytenhof。　



John　gratefully　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven。　



〃And　now；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　off；　Cornelius。〃　









Chapter　3



The　Pupil　of　John　de　Witt





Whilst　the　clamour　of　the　crowd　in　the　square　of　Buytenhof；　

which　grew　more　and　more　menacing　against　the　two　brothers；　

determined　John　de　Witt　to　hasten　the　departure　of　his　

brother　Cornelius；　a　deputation　of　burghers　had　gone　to　the　

Town…hall　to　demand　the　withdrawal　of　Tilly's　horse。　



It　was　not　far　from　the　Buytenhof　to　Hoogstraet　（High　

Street）；　and　a　stranger；　who　since　the　beginning　of　this　

scene　had　watched　all　its　incidents　with　intense　interest；　

was　seen　to　wend　his　way　with；　or　rather　in　the　wake　of；　the　

others　towards　the　Town…hall；　to　hear　as　soon　as　possible　

the　current　news　of　the　hour。　



This　stranger　was　a　very　young　man；　of　scarcely　twenty…two　

or　three；　with　nothing　about　him　that　bespoke　any　great　

energy。　He　evidently　had　his　good　reasons　for　not　making　

himself　known；　as　he　hid　his　face　in　a　handkerchief　of　fine　

Frisian　linen；　with　which　he　incessantly　wiped　his　brow　or　

his　burning　lips。　



With　an　eye　keen　as　that　of　a　bird　of　prey；　　with　a　long　

aquiline　nose；　a　finely　cut　mouth；　which　he　generally　kept　

open；　or　rather　which　was　gaping　like　the　edges　of　a　wound；　

　this　man　would　have　presented　to　Lavater；　if　Lavater　had　

lived　at　that　time；　a　subject　for　physiognomical　

observations　which　at　the　first　blush　would　not　have　been　

very　favourable　to　the　person　in　question。　



〃What　difference　is　there　between　the　figure　of　the　

conqueror　and　that　of　the　pirate？〃　said　the　ancients。　The　

difference　only　between　the　eagle　and　the　vulture；　　

serenity　or　restlessness。　



And　indeed　the　sallow　physiognomy；　the　thin　and　sickly　body；　

and　the　prowling　ways　of　the　stranger；　were　the　very　type　of　

a　suspecting　master；　or　an　unquiet　thief；　and　a　police　

officer　would　certainly　have　decided　in　favour　of　the　latter　

supposition；　on　account　of　the　great　care　which　the　

mysterious　person　evidently　took　to　hide　himself。　



He　was　plainly　dressed；　and　apparently　unarmed；　his　arm　was　

lean　but　wiry；　and　his　hands　dry；　but　of　an　aristocratic　

whiteness　and　delicacy；　and　he　leaned　on　the　shoulder　of　an　

officer；　who；　with　his　hand　on　his　sword；　had　watched　the　

scenes　in　the　Buytenhof　with　eager　curiosity；　very　natural　

in　a　military　man；　until　his　companion　drew　him　away　with　

him。　



On　arriving　at　the　square　of　the　Hoogstraet；　the　man　with　

the　sallow　face　pushed　the　other　behind　an　open　shutter；　

from　which　corner　he　himself　began　to　survey　the　balcony　of　

the　Town…hall。　



At　the　savage　yells　of　the　mob；　the　window　of　the　Town…hall　

opened；　and　a　man　came　forth　to　address　the　people。　



〃Who　is　that　on　the　balcony？〃　asked　the　young　man；　glancing　

at　the　orator。　



〃It　is　the　Deputy　Bowelt；〃　replied　the　officer。　



〃What　sort　of　a　man　is　he？　Do　you　know　anything　of　him？〃　



〃An　honest　man；　at　least　I　believe　so；　Monseigneur。〃　



Hearing　this　character　given　of　Bowelt；　the　young　man　showed　

signs　of　such　a　strange　disappointment　and　evident　

dissatisfaction　that　the　officer　could　not　but　remark　it；　

and　therefore　added；　　



〃At　least　people　say　so；　Monseigneur。　I　cannot　say　anything　

about　it　myself；　as　I　have　no　personal　acquaintance　with　

Mynheer　Bowelt。〃　



〃An　honest　man；〃　repeated　he　who　was　add