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the black tulip-第23节

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belabour him with kicks and cuffs; such as could not have 

been administered in better style by any prize…fighter on 

the other side of the Channel。 



Blows were; however; nothing to him。 He wanted to run after 

the coach which was carrying away Cornelius with his bulbs。 

But in his hurry he overlooked a paving…stone in his way; 

stumbled; lost his centre of gravity; rolled over to a 

distance of some yards; and only rose again; bruised and 

begrimed; after the whole rabble of the Hague; with their 

muddy feet; had passed over him。 



One would think that this was enough for one day; but 

Mynheer Boxtel did not seem to think so; as; in addition to 

having his clothes torn; his back bruised; and his hands 

scratched; he inflicted upon himself the further punishment 

of tearing out his hair by handfuls; as an offering to that 

goddess of envy who; as mythology teaches us; wears a 

head…dress of serpents。 









Chapter 14



The Pigeons of Dort





It was indeed in itself a great honour for Cornelius van 

Baerle to be confined in the same prison which had once 

received the learned master Grotius。 



But on arriving at the prison he met with an honour even 

greater。 As chance would have it; the cell formerly 

inhabited by the illustrious Barneveldt happened to be 

vacant; when the clemency of the Prince of Orange sent the 

tulip…fancier Van Baerle there。 



The cell had a very bad character at the castle since the 

time when Grotius; by means of the device of his wife; made 

escape from it in that famous book…chest which the jailers 

forgot to examine。 



On the other hand; it seemed to Van Baerle an auspicious 

omen that this very cell was assigned to him; for according 

to his ideas; a jailer ought never to have given to a second 

pigeon the cage from which the first had so easily flown。 



The cell had an historical character。 We will only state 

here that; with the exception of an alcove which was 

contrived there for the use of Madame Grotius; it differed 

in no respect from the other cells of the prison; only; 

perhaps; it was a little higher; and had a splendid view 

from the grated window。 



Cornelius felt himself perfectly indifferent as to the place 

where he had to lead an existence which was little more than 

vegetation。 There were only two things now for which he 

cared; and the possession of which was a happiness enjoyed 

only in imagination。 



A flower; and a woman; both of them; as he conceived; lost 

to him for ever。 



Fortunately the good doctor was mistaken。 In his prison cell 

the most adventurous life which ever fell to the lot of any 

tulip…fancier was reserved for him。 



One morning; whilst at his window inhaling the fresh air 

which came from the river; and casting a longing look to the 

windmills of his dear old city Dort; which were looming in 

the distance behind a forest of chimneys; he saw flocks of 

pigeons coming from that quarter to perch fluttering on the 

pointed gables of Loewestein。 



These pigeons; Van Baerle said to himself; are coming from 

Dort; and consequently may return there。 By fastening a 

little note to the wing of one of these pigeons; one might 

have a chance to send a message there。 Then; after a few 

moments' consideration; he exclaimed;  



〃I will do it。〃 



A man grows very patient who is twenty…eight years of age; 

and condemned to a prison for life;  that is to say; to 

something like twenty…two or twenty…three thousand days of 

captivity。 



Van Baerle; from whose thoughts the three bulbs were never 

absent; made a snare for catching the pigeons; baiting the 

birds with all the resources of his kitchen; such as it was 

for eight slivers (sixpence English) a day; and; after a 

month of unsuccessful attempts; he at last caught a female 

bird。 



It cost him two more months to catch a male bird; he then 

shut them up together; and having about the beginning of the 

year 1673 obtained some eggs from them; he released the 

female; which; leaving the male behind to hatch the eggs in 

her stead; flew joyously to Dort; with the note under her 

wing。 



She returned in the evening。 She had preserved the note。 



Thus it went on for fifteen days; at first to the 

disappointment; and then to the great grief; of Van Baerle。 



On the sixteenth day; at last; she came back without it。 



Van Baerle had addressed it to his nurse; the old Frisian 

woman; and implored any charitable soul who might find it to 

convey it to her as safely and as speedily as possible。 



In this letter there was a little note enclosed for Rosa。 



Van Baerle's nurse had received the letter in the following 

way。 



Leaving Dort; Mynheer Isaac Boxtel had abandoned; not only 

his house; his servants; his observatory; and his telescope; 

but also his pigeons。 



The servant; having been left without wages; first lived on 

his little savings; and then on his master's pigeons。 



Seeing this; the pigeons emigrated from the roof of Isaac 

Boxtel to that of Cornelius van Baerle。 



The nurse was a kind…hearted woman; who could not live 

without something to love。 She conceived an affection for 

the pigeons which had thrown themselves on her hospitality; 

and when Boxtel's servant reclaimed them with culinary 

intentions; having eaten the first fifteen already; and now 

wishing to eat the other fifteen; she offered to buy them 

from him for a consideration of six stivers per head。 



This being just double their value; the man was very glad to 

close the bargain; and the nurse found herself in undisputed 

possession of the pigeons of her master's envious neighbour。 



In the course of their wanderings; these pigeons with others 

visited the Hague; Loewestein; and Rotterdam; seeking 

variety; doubtless; in the flavour of their wheat or 

hempseed。 



Chance; or rather God; for we can see the hand of God in 

everything; had willed that Cornelius van Baerle should 

happen to hit upon one of these very pigeons。 



Therefore; if the envious wretch had not left Dort to follow 

his rival to the Hague in the first place; and then to 

Gorcum or to Loewestein;  for the two places are separated 

only by the confluence of the Waal and the Meuse;  Van 

Baerle's letter would have fallen into his hands and not the 

nurse's: in which event the poor prisoner; like the raven of 

the Roman cobbler; would have thrown away his time; his 

trouble; and; instead of having to relate the series of 

exciting events which are about to flow from beneath our pen 

like the varied hues of a many coloured tapestry; we should 

have naught to describe but a weary waste of days; dull and 

melancholy and gloomy as night's dark mantle。 



The note; as we have said; had reached Van Baerle's nurse。 



And also it came to pass; that one evening in the beginning 

of February; just when the stars were beginning to twinkle; 

Cornelius heard on the staircase of the little turret a 

voice which thrilled through him。 



He put his hand on his heart; and listened。 



It was the sweet harmonious voice of Rosa。 



Let us confess it; Cornelius was not so stupefied with 

surprise; or so beyond himself with joy; as he would have 

been but for the pigeon; which; in answer to his letter; had 

brought back hope to him under her empty wing; and; knowing 

Rosa; he expected; if the note had ever reached her; to hear 

of her whom he loved; and also of his three darling bulbs。 



He rose; listened once more; and bent forward towards the 

door。 



Yes; they were indeed the accents which had fallen so 

sweetly on his heart at the Hague。 



The question now was; whether Rosa; who had made the journey 

from the Hague to Loewestein; and who  Cornelius did not 

understand how  had succeeded even in penetrating into the 

prison; would also be fortunate enough in penetrating to the 

prisoner himself。 



Whilst Cornelius; debating this point within himself; was 

building all sorts of castles in the air; and was struggling 

between hope and fear; the shutter of the grating in the 

door opened; and Rosa; beaming with joy; and beautiful in 

her pretty national costume  but still more beautiful from 

the grief which for the last five months had blanched her 

cheeks  pressed her little face against the wire grating 

of the window; saying to him;  



〃Oh; sir; sir! here I am!〃 



Cornelius stretched out his arms; and; looking to heaven; 

uttered a cry of joy;  



〃Oh; Rosa; Rosa!〃 



〃Hush! let us speak low: my father follows on my heels;〃 

said the girl。 



〃Your father?〃 



〃Yes; he is in the courtyard at the bottom of the staircase; 

receiving the instructions of the Governor; he will 

presently come up。〃 



〃The instructions of the Governor?〃 



〃Listen to me; I'll try to tell you all in a few words。

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