the black tulip-第6章

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about　it　myself；　as　I　have　no　personal　acquaintance　with　

Mynheer　Bowelt。〃　



〃An　honest　man；〃　repeated　he　who　was　addressed　as　

Monseigneur；　〃do　you　mean　to　say　that　he　is　an　honest　man　

（brave　homme）；　or　a　brave　one　（homme　brave）？〃　



〃Ah；　Monseigneur　must　excuse　me；　I　would　not　presume　to　draw　

such　a　fine　distinction　in　the　case　of　a　man　whom；　I　assure　

your　Highness　once　more；　I　know　only　by　sight。〃　



〃If　this　Bowelt　is　an　honest　man；〃　his　Highness　continued；　

〃he　will　give　to　the　demand　of　these　furibund　petitioners　a　

very　queer　reception。〃　



The　nervous　quiver　of　his　hand；　which　moved　on　the　shoulder　

of　his　companion　as　the　fingers　of　a　player　on　the　keys　of　a　

harpsichord；　betrayed　his　burning　impatience；　so　ill　

concealed　at　certain　times；　and　particularly　at　that　moment；　

under　the　icy　and　sombre　expression　of　his　face。　



The　chief　of　the　deputation　of　the　burghers　was　then　heard　

addressing　an　interpellation　to　Mynheer　Bowelt；　whom　he　

requested　to　let　them　know　where　the　other　deputies；　his　

colleagues；　were。　



〃Gentlemen；〃　Bowelt　repeated　for　the　second　time；　〃I　assure　

you　that　in　this　moment　I　am　here　alone　with　Mynheer　

d'Asperen；　and　I　cannot　take　any　resolution　on　my　own　

responsibility。〃　



〃The　order！　we　want　the　order！〃　cried　several　thousand　

voices。　



Mynheer　Bowelt　wished　to　speak；　but　his　words　were　not　

heard；　and　he　was　only　seen　moving　his　arms　in　all　sorts　of　

gestures；　which　plainly　showed　that　he　felt　his　position　to　

be　desperate。　When；　at　last；　he　saw　that　he　could　not　make　

himself　heard；　he　turned　round　towards　the　open　window；　and　

called　Mynheer　d'Asperen。　



The　latter　gentleman　now　made　his　appearance　on　the　balcony；　

where　he　was　saluted　with　shouts　even　more　energetic　than　

those　with　which；　ten　minutes　before；　his　colleague　had　been　

received。　



This　did　not　prevent　him　from　undertaking　the　difficult　task　

of　haranguing　the　mob；　but　the　mob　preferred　forcing　the　

guard　of　the　States　　which；　however；　offered　no　resistance　

to　the　sovereign　people　　to　listening　to　the　speech　of　

Mynheer　d'Asperen。　



〃Now；　then；〃　the　young　man　coolly　remarked；　whilst　the　crowd　

was　rushing　into　the　principal　gate　of　the　Town…hall；　〃it　

seems　the　question　will　be　discussed　indoors；　Captain。　Come　

along；　and　let　us　hear　the　debate。〃　



〃Oh；　Monseigneur！　Monseigneur！　take　care！〃　



〃Of　what？〃　



〃Among　these　deputies　there　are　many　who　have　had　dealings　

with　you；　and　it　would　be　sufficient；　that　one　of　them　

should　recognize　your　Highness。〃　



〃Yes；　that　I　might　be　charged　with　having　been　the　

instigator　of　all　this　work；　indeed；　you　are　right；〃　said　

the　young　man；　blushing　for　a　moment　from　regret　of　having　

betrayed　so　much　eagerness。　〃From　this　place　we　shall　see　

them　return　with　or　without　the　order　for　the　withdrawal　of　

the　dragoons；　then　we　may　judge　which　is　greater；　Mynheer　

Bowelt's　honesty　or　his　courage。〃　



〃But；〃　replied　the　officer；　looking　with　astonishment　at　the　

personage　whom　he　addressed　as　Monseigneur；　〃but　your　

Highness　surely　does　not　suppose　for　one　instant　that　the　

deputies　will　order　Tilly's　horse　to　quit　their　post？〃　



〃Why　not？〃　the　young　man　quietly　retorted。　



〃Because　doing　so　would　simply　be　signing　the　death　warrant　

of　Cornelius　and　John　de　Witt。〃　



〃We　shall　see；〃　his　Highness　replied；　with　the　most　perfect　

coolness；　〃God　alone　knows　what　is　going　on　within　the　

hearts　of　men。〃　



The　officer　looked　askance　at　the　impassible　figure　of　his　

companion；　and　grew　pale：　he　was　an　honest　man　as　well　as　a　

brave　one。　



From　the　spot　where　they　stood；　his　Highness　and　his　

attendant　heard　the　tumult　and　the　heavy　tramp　of　the　crowd　

on　the　staircase　of　the　Town…hall。　The　noise　thereupon　

sounded　through　the　windows　of　the　hall；　on　the　balcony　of　

which　Mynheers　Bowelt　and　D'Asperen　had　presented　

themselves。　These　two　gentlemen　had　retired　into　the　

building；　very　likely　from　fear　of　being　forced　over　the　

balustrade　by　the　pressure　of　the　crowd。　



After　this；　fluctuating　shadows　in　tumultuous　confusion　were　

seen　flitting　to　and　fro　across　the　windows：　the　council　

hall　was　filling。　



Suddenly　the　noise　subsided；　and　as　suddenly　again　it　rose　

with　redoubled　intensity；　and　at　last　reached　such　a　pitch　

that　the　old　building　shook　to　the　very　roof。　



At　length；　the　living　stream　poured　back　through　the　

galleries　and　stairs　to　the　arched　gateway；　from　which　it　

was　seen　issuing　like　waters　from　a　spout。　



At　the　head　of　the　first　group；　man　was　flying　rather　than　

running；　his　face　hideously　distorted　with　satanic　glee：　

this　man　was　the　surgeon　Tyckelaer。　



〃We　have　it！　we　have　it！〃　he　cried；　brandishing　a　paper　in　

the　air。　



〃They　have　got　the　order！〃　muttered　the　officer　in　

amazement。　



〃Well；　then；〃　his　Highness　quietly　remarked；　〃now　I　know　

what　to　believe　with　regard　to　Mynheer　Bowelt's　honesty　and　

courage：　he　has　neither　the　one　nor　the　other。〃　



Then；　looking　with　a　steady　glance　after　the　crowd　which　was　

rushing　along　before　him；　he　continued；　　



〃Let　us　now　go　to　the　Buytenhof；　Captain；　I　expect　we　shall　

see　a　very　strange　sight　there。〃　



The　officer　bowed；　and；　without　making　any　reply；　followed　

in　the　steps　of　his　master。　



There　was　an　immense　crowd　in　the　square　and　about　the　

neighbourhood　of　the　prison。　But　the　dragoons　of　Tilly　still　

kept　it　in　check　with　the　same　success　and　with　the　same　

firmness。　



It　was　not　long　before　the　Count　heard　the　increasing　din　of　

the　approaching　multitude；　the　first　ranks　of　which　rushed　

on　with　the　rapidity　of　a　cataract。　



At　the　same　time　he　observed　the　paper；　which　was　waving　

above　the　surface　of　clenched　fists　and　glittering　arms。　



〃Halloa！〃　he　said；　rising　in　his　stirrups；　and　touching　his　

lieutenant　with　the　knob　of　his　sword；　〃I　really　believe　

those　rascals　have　got　the　order。〃　



〃Dastardly　ruffians　they　are；〃　cried　the　lieutenant。　



It　was　indeed　the　order；　which　the　burgher　guard　received　

with　a　roar　of　triumph。　They　immediately　sallied　forth；　with　

lowered　arms　and　fierce　shouts；　to　meet　Count　Tilly's　

dragoons。　



But　the　Count　was　not　the　man　to　allow　them　to　approach　

within　an　inconvenient　distance。　



〃Stop！〃　he　cried；　〃stop；　and　keep　off　from　my　horse；　or　I　

shall　give　the　word　of　command　to　advance。〃　



〃Here　is　the　order！〃　a　hundred　insolent　voices　answered　at　

once。　



He　took　it　in　amazement；　cast　a　rapid　glance　on　it；　and　said　

quite　aloud；　　



〃Those　who　have　signed　this　order　are　the　real　murderers　of　

Cornelius　de　Witt。　I　would　rather　have　my　two　hands　cut　off　

than　have　written　one　single　letter　of　this　infamous　order。〃　



And；　pushing　back　with　the　hilt　of　his　sword　the　man　who　

wanted　to　take　it　from　him；　he　added；　　



〃Wait　a　minute；　papers　like　this　are　of　importance；　and　are　

to　be　kept。〃　



Saying　this；　he　folded　up　the　document；　and　carefully　put　it　

in　the　pocket　of　his　coat。　



Then；　turning　round　towards　his　troop；　he　gave　the　word　of　

command；　　



〃Tilly's　dragoons；　wheel　to　the　right！〃　



After　this；　he　added；　in　an　undertone；　yet　loud　enough　for　

his　words　to　be　not　altogether　lost　to　those　about　him；　　



〃And　now；　ye　butchers；　do　your　work！〃　



A　savage　yell；　in　which　all　the　keen　hatred　and　ferocious　

triumph　rife　in　the　precincts　of　the　prison　simultaneously　

burst　forth；　and　accompanied　the　departure　of　the　dragoons；　

as　they　were　quietly　filing　off。　



The　Count　tarried　behind；　facing　to　the　last　the　infuriated　

populace；　which　advanced　at　the　same　rate　as　the　Count　

retired。　



John　de　Witt；　therefore；　had　by　no　means　exaggerated　the　

danger；　when；　assisting　his　brother　in　getting　up；　he　

hurried　his　departure。　Cornelius；　leaning　on　the　arm　of　the　

Ex…Grand　Pensionary；　descended　the　stairs