the black tulip-第3节
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Buytenhof。
John de Witt； indeed； had alighted from his coach with his
servant； and quietly walked across the courtyard of the
prison。
Mentioning his name to the turnkey； who however knew him； he
said；
〃Good morning； Gryphus； I am coming to take away my brother；
who； as you know； is condemned to exile； and to carry him
out of the town。〃
Whereupon the jailer； a sort of bear； trained to lock and
unlock the gates of the prison； had greeted him and admitted
him into the building； the doors of which were immediately
closed again。
Ten yards farther on； John de Witt met a lovely young girl；
of about seventeen or eighteen； dressed in the national
costume of the Frisian women； who； with pretty demureness；
dropped a curtesy to him。 Chucking her under the chin； he
said to her；
〃Good morning； my good and fair Rosa； how is my brother？〃
〃Oh； Mynheer John！〃 the young girl replied； 〃I am not afraid
of the harm which has been done to him。 That's all over
now。〃
〃But what is it you are afraid of？〃
〃I am afraid of the harm which they are going to do to him。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said De Witt； 〃you mean to speak of the people
down below； don't you？〃
〃Do you hear them？〃
〃They are indeed in a state of great excitement； but when
they see us perhaps they will grow calmer； as we have never
done them anything but good。〃
〃That's unfortunately no reason； except for the contrary；〃
muttered the girl； as； on an imperative sign from her
father； she withdrew。
〃Indeed； child； what you say is only too true。〃
Then； in pursuing his way； he said to himself；
〃Here is a damsel who very likely does not know how to read；
who consequently has never read anything； and yet with one
word she has just told the whole history of the world。〃
And with the same calm mien； but more melancholy than he had
been on entering the prison； the Grand Pensionary proceeded
towards the cell of his brother。
Chapter 2
The Two Brothers
As the fair Rosa； with foreboding doubt； had foretold； so it
happened。 Whilst John de Witt was climbing the narrow
winding stairs which led to the prison of his brother
Cornelius； the burghers did their best to have the troop of
Tilly； which was in their way； removed。
Seeing this disposition； King Mob； who fully appreciated the
laudable intentions of his own beloved militia； shouted most
lustily；
〃Hurrah for the burghers！〃
As to Count Tilly； who was as prudent as he was firm； he
began to parley with the burghers； under the protection of
the cocked pistols of his dragoons； explaining to the
valiant townsmen； that his order from the States commanded
him to guard the prison and its approaches with three
companies。
〃Wherefore such an order？ Why guard the prison？〃 cried the
Orangists。
〃Stop；〃 replied the Count； 〃there you at once ask me more
than I can tell you。 I was told； 'Guard the prison；' and I
guard it。 You； gentlemen； who are almost military men
yourselves； you are aware that an order must never be
gainsaid。〃
〃But this order has been given to you that the traitors may
be enabled to leave the town。〃
〃Very possibly； as the traitors are condemned to exile；〃
replied Tilly。
〃But who has given this order？〃
〃The States； to be sure！〃
〃The States are traitors。〃
〃I don't know anything about that！〃
〃And you are a traitor yourself！〃
〃I？〃
〃Yes； you。〃
〃Well； as to that； let us understand each other gentlemen。
Whom should I betray？ The States？ Why； I cannot betray them；
whilst； being in their pay； I faithfully obey their orders。〃
As the Count was so indisputably in the right that it was
impossible to argue against him； the mob answered only by
redoubled clamour and horrible threats； to which the Count
opposed the most perfect urbanity。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； 〃uncock your muskets； one of them may
go off by accident； and if the shot chanced to wound one of
my men； we should knock over a couple of hundreds of yours；
for which we should； indeed； be very sorry； but you even
more so； especially as such a thing is neither contemplated
by you nor by myself。〃
〃If you did that；〃 cried the burghers； 〃we should have a pop
at you； too。〃
〃Of course you would； but suppose you killed every man Jack
of us； those whom we should have killed would not； for all
that； be less dead。〃
〃Then leave the place to us； and you will perform the part
of a good citizen。〃
〃First of all；〃 said the Count； 〃I am not a citizen； but an
officer； which is a very different thing； and secondly； I am
not a Hollander； but a Frenchman； which is more different
still。 I have to do with no one but the States； by whom I am
paid； let me see an order from them to leave the place to
you； and I shall only be too glad to wheel off in an
instant； as I am confoundedly bored here。〃
〃Yes； yes！〃 cried a hundred voices； the din of which was
immediately swelled by five hundred others； 〃let us march to
the Town…hall； let us go and see the deputies！ Come along！
come along！〃
〃That's it；〃 Tilly muttered between his teeth； as he saw the
most violent among the crowd turning away； 〃go and ask for a
meanness at the Town…hall； and you will see whether they
will grant it； go； my fine fellows； go！〃
The worthy officer relied on the honour of the magistrates；
who； on their side； relied on his honour as a soldier。
〃I say； Captain；〃 the first lieutenant whispered into the
ear of the Count； 〃I hope the deputies will give these
madmen a flat refusal； but； after all； it would do no harm
if they would send us some reinforcement。〃
In the meanwhile； John de Witt； whom we left climbing the
stairs； after the conversation with the jailer Gryphus and
his daughter Rosa； had reached the door of the cell； where
on a mattress his brother Cornelius was resting； after
having undergone the preparatory degrees of the torture。 The
sentence of banishment having been pronounced； there was no
occasion for inflicting the torture extraordinary。
Cornelius was stretched on his couch； with broken wrists and
crushed fingers。 He had not confessed a crime of which he
was not guilty； and now； after three days of agony； he once
more breathed freely； on being informed that the judges；
from whom he had expected death； were only condemning him to
exile。
Endowed with an iron frame and a stout heart； how would he
have disappointed his enemies if they could only have seen；
in the dark cell of the Buytenhof； his pale face lit up by
the smile of the martyr； who forgets the dross of this earth
after having obtained a glimpse of the bright glory of
heaven。
The warden； indeed； had already recovered his full strength；
much more owing to the force of his own strong will than to
actual aid； and he was calculating how long the formalities
of the law would still detain him in prison。
This was just at the very moment when the mingled shouts of
the burgher guard and of the mob were raging against the two
brothers； and threatening Captain Tilly； who served as a
rampart to them。 This noise； which roared outside of the
walls of the prison； as the surf dashing against the rocks；
now reached the ears of the prisoner。
But； threatening as it sounded； Cornelius appeared not to
dream it worth his while to inquire after its cause； nor did
he get up to look out of the narrow grated window； which
gave access to the light and to the noise of the world
without。
He was so absorbed in his never…ceasing pain that it had
almost become a habit with him。 He felt with such delight
the bonds which connected his immortal being with his
perishable frame gradually loosening； that it seemed to him
as if his spirit； freed from the trammels of the body； were
hovering above it； like the expiring flame which rises from
the half…extinguished embers。
He also thought of his brother； and whilst the latter was
thus vividly present to his mind the door opened； and John
entered； hurrying to the bedside of the prisoner； who
stretched out his broken limbs and his hands tied up in
bandages towards that glorious brother； whom he now
excelled； not in services rendered to the country； but in
the hatred which the Dutch bore him。
John tenderly kissed his brother on the forehead； and put
his sore hands gently back on the mattress。
〃Cornelius； my poor brother； you are suffering great pain；
are you not？〃
〃I am suffering no longer； since I see you； my brother。〃
〃Oh； my poor dear Cornelius！ I feel most wretched to see you
in such a state。〃
〃And； indeed； I have thought more of you than of myself； and
whilst they were torturing me； I never thought
