the black tulip-第16节
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carriage； and they are driving him to the Hague。〃
〃To the Hague！〃
〃Yes； to the Hague； and if what people say is true； it won't
do him much good。〃
〃And what do they say？〃 Boxtel asked。
〃Faith； sir； they say but it is not quite sure that by
this hour the burghers must be murdering Mynheer Cornelius
and Mynheer John de Witt。〃
〃Oh；〃 muttered； or rather growled Boxtel； closing his eyes
from the dreadful picture which presented itself to his
imagination。
〃Why； to be sure；〃 said the servant to himself； whilst
leaving the room； 〃Mynheer Isaac Boxtel must be very sick
not to have jumped from his bed on hearing such good news。〃
And； in reality； Isaac Boxtel was very sick； like a man who
has murdered another。
But he had murdered his man with a double object； the first
was attained； the second was still to be attained。
Night closed in。 It was the night which Boxtel had looked
forward to。
As soon as it was dark he got up。
He then climbed into his sycamore。
He had calculated correctly； no one thought of keeping watch
over the garden； the house and the servants were all in the
utmost confusion。
He heard the clock strike ten； eleven； twelve。
At midnight； with a beating heart； trembling hands； and a
livid countenance； he descended from the tree； took a
ladder； leaned it against the wall； mounted it to the last
step but one； and listened。
All was perfectly quiet； not a sound broke the silence of
the night； one solitary light； that of the housekeeper； was
burning in the house。
This silence and this darkness emboldened Boxtel； he got
astride the wall； stopped for an instant； and； after having
ascertained that there was nothing to fear； he put his
ladder from his own garden into that of Cornelius； and
descended。
Then； knowing to an inch where the bulbs which were to
produce the black tulip were planted； he ran towards the
spot； following； however； the gravelled walks in order not
to be betrayed by his footprints； and； on arriving at the
precise spot； he proceeded； with the eagerness of a tiger；
to plunge his hand into the soft ground。
He found nothing； and thought he was mistaken。
In the meanwhile； the cold sweat stood on his brow。
He felt about close by it； nothing。
He felt about on the right； and on the left； nothing。
He felt about in front and at the back； nothing。
He was nearly mad； when at last he satisfied himself that on
that very morning the earth had been disturbed。
In fact； whilst Boxtel was lying in bed； Cornelius had gone
down to his garden； had taken up the mother bulb； and； as we
have seen； divided it into three。
Boxtel could not bring himself to leave the place。 He dug up
with his hands more than ten square feet of ground。
At last no doubt remained of his misfortune。 Mad with rage；
he returned to his ladder； mounted the wall； drew up the
ladder； flung it into his own garden； and jumped after it。
All at once； a last ray of hope presented itself to his
mind： the seedling bulbs might be in the dry…room； it was
therefore only requisite to make his entry there as he had
done into the garden。
There he would find them； and； moreover； it was not at all
difficult； as the sashes of the dry…room might be raised
like those of a greenhouse。 Cornelius had opened them on
that morning； and no one had thought of closing them again。
Everything； therefore； depended upon whether he could
procure a ladder of sufficient length； one of twenty…five
feet instead of ten。
Boxtel had noticed in the street where he lived a house
which was being repaired； and against which a very tall
ladder was placed。
This ladder would do admirably； unless the workmen had taken
it away。
He ran to the house： the ladder was there。 Boxtel took it；
carried it with great exertion to his garden； and with even
greater difficulty raised it against the wall of Van
Baerle's house； where it just reached to the window。
Boxtel put a lighted dark lantern into his pocket； mounted
the ladder； and slipped into the dry…room。
On reaching this sanctuary of the florist he stopped；
supporting himself against the table； his legs failed him；
his heart beat as if it would choke him。 Here it was even
worse than in the garden； there Boxtel was only a
trespasser； here he was a thief。
However； he took courage again： he had not gone so far to
turn back with empty hands。
But in vain did he search the whole room； open and shut all
the drawers； even that privileged one where the parcel which
had been so fatal to Cornelius had been deposited； he found
ticketed； as in a botanical garden； the 〃Jane；〃 the 〃John de
Witt；〃 the hazel…nut； and the roasted…coffee coloured tulip；
but of the black tulip； or rather the seedling bulbs within
which it was still sleeping； not a trace was found。
And yet； on looking over the register of seeds and bulbs；
which Van Baerle kept in duplicate； if possible even with
greater exactitude and care than the first commercial houses
of Amsterdam their ledgers； Boxtel read these lines：
〃To…day； 20th of August； 1672； I have taken up the mother
bulb of the grand black tulip； which I have divided into
three perfect suckers。〃
〃Oh these bulbs； these bulbs！〃 howled Boxtel； turning over
everything in the dry…room； 〃where could he have concealed
them？〃
Then； suddenly striking his forehead in his frenzy； he
called out； 〃Oh wretch that I am！ Oh thrice fool Boxtel！
Would any one be separated from his bulbs？ Would any one
leave them at Dort； when one goes to the Hague？ Could one
live far from one's bulbs； when they enclose the grand black
tulip？ He had time to get hold of them； the scoundrel； he
has them about him； he has taken them to the Hague！〃
It was like a flash of lightning which showed to Boxtel the
abyss of a uselessly committed crime。
Boxtel sank quite paralyzed on that very table； and on that
very spot where； some hours before； the unfortunate Van
Baerle had so leisurely； and with such intense delight；
contemplated his darling bulbs。
〃Well； then； after all；〃 said the envious Boxtel； raising
his livid face from his hands in which it had been buried
〃if he has them； he can keep them only as long as he lives；
and 〃
The rest of this detestable thought was expressed by a
hideous smile。
〃The bulbs are at the Hague；〃 he said； 〃therefore； I can no
longer live at Dort： away； then； for them； to the Hague！ to
the Hague！〃
And Boxtel； without taking any notice of the treasures about
him； so entirely were his thoughts absorbed by another
inestimable treasure； let himself out by the window； glided
down the ladder； carried it back to the place whence he had
taken it； and； like a beast of prey； returned growling to
his house。
Chapter 9
The Family Cell
It was about midnight when poor Van Baerle was locked up in
the prison of the Buytenhof。
What Rosa foresaw had come to pass。 On finding the cell of
Cornelius de Witt empty； the wrath of the people ran very
high； and had Gryphus fallen into the hands of those madmen
he would certainly have had to pay with his life for the
prisoner。
But this fury had vented itself most fully on the two
brothers when they were overtaken by the murderers； thanks
to the precaution which William the man of precautions
had taken in having the gates of the city closed。
A momentary lull had therefore set in whilst the prison was
empty； and Rosa availed herself of this favourable moment to
come forth from her hiding place； which she also induced her
father to leave。
The prison was therefore completely deserted。 Why should
people remain in the jail whilst murder was going on at the
Tol…Hek？
Gryphus came forth trembling behind the courageous Rosa。
They went to close the great gate； at least as well as it
would close； considering that it was half demolished。 It was
easy to see that a hurricane of mighty fury had vented
itself upon it。
About four o'clock a return of the noise was heard； but of
no threatening character to Gryphus and his daughter。 The
people were only dragging in the two corpses； which they
came back to gibbet at the usual place of execution。
Rosa hid herself this time also； but only that she might not
see the ghastly spectacle。
At midnight； people again knocked at the gate of the jail；
or rather at the barricade which served in its stead： it was
Cornelius van Baerle whom they were bringing。
When the jailer received this new inmate； and saw from the
warrant the name and station of his prisoner； he muttered
with his turnkey smile；
〃Godson of Cornelius de Witt！
