the black tulip-第21节
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〃So may God grant me mercy； and to her health and long life！
〃Cornelius van Baerle。〃
The prisoner then； giving the Bible to Rosa； said；
〃Read。〃
〃Alas！〃 she answered； 〃I have already told you I cannot
read。〃
Cornelius then read to Rosa the testament that he had just
made。
The agony of the poor girl almost overpowered her。
〃Do you accept my conditions？〃 asked the prisoner； with a
melancholy smile； kissing the trembling hands of the
afflicted girl。
〃Oh； I don't know； sir；〃 she stammered。
〃You don't know； child； and why not？〃
〃Because there is one condition which I am afraid I cannot
keep。〃
〃Which？ I should have thought that all was settled between
us。〃
〃You give me the hundred thousand guilders as a marriage
portion； don't you？
〃And under the condition of my marrying a man whom I love？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Well； then； sir； this money cannot belong to me。 I shall
never love any one； neither shall I marry。〃
And； after having with difficulty uttered these words； Rosa
almost swooned away in the violence of her grief。
Cornelius； frightened at seeing her so pale and sinking； was
going to take her in his arms； when a heavy step； followed
by other dismal sounds； was heard on the staircase； amidst
the continued barking of the dog。
〃They are coming to fetch you。 Oh God！ Oh God！〃 cried Rosa；
wringing her hands。 〃And have you nothing more to tell me？〃
She fell on her knees with her face buried in her hands and
became almost senseless。
〃I have only to say； that I wish you to preserve these bulbs
as a most precious treasure； and carefully to treat them
according to the directions I have given you。 Do it for my
sake； and now farewell； Rosa。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 she said； without raising her head； 〃I will do
anything you bid me； except marrying；〃 she added； in a low
voice； 〃for that； oh！ that is impossible for me。〃
She then put the cherished treasure next her beating heart。
The noise on the staircase which Cornelius and Rosa had
heard was caused by the Recorder； who was coming for the
prisoner。 He was followed by the executioner； by the
soldiers who were to form the guard round the scaffold； and
by some curious hangers…on of the prison。
Cornelius； without showing any weakness； but likewise
without any bravado； received them rather as friends than as
persecutors； and quietly submitted to all those preparations
which these men were obliged to make in performance of their
duty。
Then； casting a glance into the yard through the narrow
iron…barred window of his cell； he perceived the scaffold；
and； at twenty paces distant from it； the gibbet； from
which； by order of the Stadtholder； the outraged remains of
the two brothers De Witt had been taken down。
When the moment came to descend in order to follow the
guards； Cornelius sought with his eyes the angelic look of
Rosa； but he saw； behind the swords and halberds； only a
form lying outstretched near a wooden bench； and a deathlike
face half covered with long golden locks。
But Rosa； whilst falling down senseless； still obeying her
friend； had pressed her hand on her velvet bodice and；
forgetting everything in the world besides； instinctively
grasped the precious deposit which Cornelius had intrusted
to her care。
Leaving the cell； the young man could still see in the
convulsively clinched fingers of Rosa the yellowish leaf
from that Bible on which Cornelius de Witt had with such
difficulty and pain written these few lines； which； if Van
Baerle had read them； would undoubtedly have been the saving
of a man and a tulip。
Chapter 12
The Execution
Cornelius had not three hundred paces to walk outside the
prison to reach the foot of the scaffold。 At the bottom of
the staircase； the dog quietly looked at him whilst he was
passing； Cornelius even fancied he saw in the eyes of the
monster a certain expression as it were of compassion。
The dog perhaps knew the condemned prisoners； and only bit
those who left as free men。
The shorter the way from the door of the prison to the foot
of the scaffold； the more fully； of course； it was crowded
with curious people。
These were the same who； not satisfied with the blood which
they had shed three days before； were now craving for a new
victim。
And scarcely had Cornelius made his appearance than a fierce
groan ran through the whole street； spreading all over the
yard； and re…echoing from the streets which led to the
scaffold； and which were likewise crowded with spectators。
The scaffold indeed looked like an islet at the confluence
of several rivers。
In the midst of these threats； groans； and yells； Cornelius；
very likely in order not to hear them； had buried himself in
his own thoughts。
And what did he think of in his last melancholy journey？
Neither of his enemies； nor of his judges； nor of his
executioners。
He thought of the beautiful tulips which he would see from
heaven above； at Ceylon； or Bengal； or elsewhere； when he
would be able to look with pity on this earth； where John
and Cornelius de Witt had been murdered for having thought
too much of politics； and where Cornelius van Baerle was
about to be murdered for having thought too much of tulips。
〃It is only one stroke of the axe；〃 said the philosopher to
himself； 〃and my beautiful dream will begin to be realised。〃
Only there was still a chance； just as it had happened
before to M。 de Chalais； to M。 de Thou； and other slovenly
executed people； that the headsman might inflict more than
one stroke； that is to say； more than one martyrdom； on the
poor tulip…fancier。
Yet； notwithstanding all this； Van Baerle mounted the
scaffold not the less resolutely； proud of having been the
friend of that illustrious John； and godson of that noble
Cornelius de Witt； whom the ruffians； who were now crowding
to witness his own doom； had torn to pieces and burnt three
days before。
He knelt down； said his prayers； and observed； not without a
feeling of sincere joy； that； laying his head on the block；
and keeping his eyes open； he would be able to his last
moment to see the grated window of the Buytenhof。
At length the fatal moment arrived； and Cornelius placed his
chin on the cold damp block。 But at this moment his eyes
closed involuntarily； to receive more resolutely the
terrible avalanche which was about to fall on his head； and
to engulf his life。
A gleam like that of lightning passed across the scaffold：
it was the executioner raising his sword。
Van Baerle bade farewell to the great black tulip； certain
of awaking in another world full of light and glorious
tints。
Three times he felt； with a shudder； the cold current of air
from the knife near his neck； but what a surprise！ he felt
neither pain nor shock。
He saw no change in the colour of the sky； or of the world
around him。
Then suddenly Van Baerle felt gentle hands raising him； and
soon stood on his feet again； although trembling a little。
He looked around him。 There was some one by his side；
reading a large parchment； sealed with a huge seal of red
wax。
And the same sun； yellow and pale； as it behooves a Dutch
sun to be； was shining in the skies； and the same grated
window looked down upon him from the Buytenhof； and the same
rabble； no longer yelling； but completely thunderstruck；
were staring at him from the streets below。
Van Baerle began to be sensible to what was going on around
him。
His Highness； William； Prince of Orange； very likely afraid
that Van Baerle's blood would turn the scale of judgment
against him； had compassionately taken into consideration
his good character； and the apparent proofs of his
innocence。
His Highness； accordingly； had granted him his life。
Cornelius at first hoped that the pardon would be complete；
and that he would be restored to his full liberty and to his
flower borders at Dort。
But Cornelius was mistaken。 To use an expression of Madame
de Sevigne； who wrote about the same time； 〃there was a
postscript to the letter；〃 and the most important part of
the letter was contained in the postscript。
In this postscript； William of Orange； Stadtholder of
Holland； condemned Cornelius van Baerle to imprisonment for
life。 He was not sufficiently guilty to suffer death； but he
was too much so to be set at liberty。
Cornelius heard this clause； but； the first feeling of
vexation and disappointment over； he said to himself；
〃Never mind； all this is not lost yet； there is some good in
this perpetual imprisonment； Rosa will be there； and also my
three bulbs of t
