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第39节

the black tulip-第39节

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〃A very great one; sir; yet not to it; but to me。〃 



〃What?〃 



〃It has been stolen from me。〃 



〃Stolen! the black tulip?〃 



〃Yes; sir。〃 



〃Do you know the thief?〃 



〃I have my suspicions; but I must not yet accuse any one。〃 



〃But the matter may very easily be ascertained。〃 



〃How is that?〃 



〃As it has been stolen from you; the thief cannot be far 

off。〃 



〃Why not?〃 



〃Because I have seen the black tulip only two hours ago。〃 



〃You have seen the black tulip!〃 cried Rosa; rushing up to 

Mynheer van Systens。 



〃As I see you; miss。〃 



〃But where?〃 



〃Well; with your master; of course。〃 



〃With my master?〃 



〃Yes; are you not in the service of Master Isaac Boxtel?〃 



〃I?〃 



〃Yes; you。〃 



〃But for whom do you take me; sir?〃 



〃And for whom do you take me?〃 



〃I hope; sir; I take you for what you are;  that is to 

say; for the honorable Mynheer van Systens; Burgomaster of 

Haarlem; and President of the Horticultural Society。〃 



〃And what is it you told me just now?〃 



〃I told you; sir; that my tulip has been stolen。〃 



〃Then your tulip is that of Mynheer Boxtel。 Well; my child; 

you express yourself very badly。 The tulip has been stolen; 

not from you; but from Mynheer Boxtel。〃 



〃I repeat to you; sir; that I do not know who this Mynheer 

Boxtel is; and that I have now heard his name pronounced for 

the first time。〃 



〃You do not know who Mynheer Boxtel is; and you also had a 

black tulip?〃 



〃But is there any other besides mine?〃 asked Rosa; 

trembling。 



〃Yes;  that of Mynheer Boxtel。〃 



〃How is it?〃 



〃Black; of course。〃 



〃Without speck?〃 



〃Without a single speck; or even point。〃 



〃And you have this tulip;  you have it deposited here?〃 



〃No; but it will be; as it has to be exhibited before the 

committee previous to the prize being awarded。〃 



〃Oh; sir!〃 cried Rosa; 〃this Boxtel  this Isaac Boxtel  

who calls himself the owner of the black tulip  〃 



〃And who is its owner?〃 



〃Is he not a very thin man?〃 



〃Bald?〃 



〃Yes。〃 



〃With sunken eyes?〃 



〃I think he has。〃 



〃Restless; stooping; and bowlegged?〃 



〃In truth; you draw Master Boxtel's portrait feature by 

feature。〃 



〃And the tulip; sir? Is it not in a pot of white and blue 

earthenware; with yellowish flowers in a basket on three 

sides?〃 



〃Oh; as to that I am not quite sure; I looked more at the 

flower than at the pot。〃 



〃Oh; sir! that's my tulip; which has been stolen from me。 I 

came here to reclaim it before you and from you。〃 



〃Oh! oh!〃 said Van Systens; looking at Rosa。 〃What! you are 

here to claim the tulip of Master Boxtel? Well; I must say; 

you are cool enough。〃 



〃Honoured sir;〃 a little put out by this apostrophe; 〃I do 

not say that I am coming to claim the tulip of Master 

Boxtel; but to reclaim my own。〃 



〃Yours?〃 



〃Yes; the one which I have myself planted and nursed。〃 



〃Well; then; go and find out Master Boxtel; at the White 

Swan Inn; and you can then settle matters with him; as for 

me; considering that the cause seems to me as difficult to 

judge as that which was brought before King Solomon; and 

that I do not pretend to be as wise as he was; I shall 

content myself with making my report; establishing the 

existence of the black tulip; and ordering the hundred 

thousand guilders to be paid to its grower。 Good…bye; my 

child。〃 



〃Oh; sir; sir!〃 said Rosa; imploringly。 



〃Only; my child;〃 continued Van Systens; 〃as you are young 

and pretty; and as there may be still some good in you; I'll 

give you some good advice。 Be prudent in this matter; for we 

have a court of justice and a prison here at Haarlem; and; 

moreover; we are exceedingly ticklish as far as the honour 

of our tulips is concerned。 Go; my child; go; remember; 

Master Isaac Boxtel at the White Swan Inn。〃 



And Mynheer van Systens; taking up his fine pen; resumed his 

report; which had been interrupted by Rosa's visit。 









Chapter 26



A Member of the Horticultural Society





Rosa; beyond herself and nearly mad with joy and fear at the 

idea of the black tulip being found again; started for the 

White Swan; followed by the boatman; a stout lad from 

Frisia; who was strong enough to knock down a dozen Boxtels 

single…handed。 



He had been made acquainted in the course of the journey 

with the state of affairs; and was not afraid of any 

encounter; only he had orders; in such a case; to spare the 

tulip。 



But on arriving in the great market…place Rosa at once 

stopped; a sudden thought had struck her; just as Homer's 

Minerva seizes Achilles by the hair at the moment when he is 

about to be carried away by his anger。 



〃Good Heaven!〃 she muttered to herself; 〃I have made a 

grievous blunder; it may be I have ruined Cornelius; the 

tulip; and myself。 I have given the alarm; and perhaps 

awakened suspicion。 I am but a woman; these men may league 

themselves against me; and then I shall be lost。 If I am 

lost that matters nothing;  but Cornelius and the tulip!〃 



She reflected for a moment。 



〃If I go to that Boxtel; and do not know him; if that Boxtel 

is not my Jacob; but another fancier; who has also 

discovered the black tulip; or if my tulip has been stolen 

by some one else; or has already passed into the hands of a 

third person;  if I do not recognize the man; only the 

tulip; how shall I prove that it belongs to me? On the other 

hand; if I recognise this Boxtel as Jacob; who knows what 

will come out of it? whilst we are contesting with each 

other; the tulip will die。〃 



In the meanwhile; a great noise was heard; like the distant 

roar of the sea; at the other extremity of the market…place。 

People were running about; doors opening and shutting; Rosa 

alone was unconscious of all this hubbub among the 

multitude。 



〃We must return to the President;〃 she muttered。 



〃Well; then; let us return;〃 said the boatman。 



They took a small street; which led them straight to the 

mansion of Mynheer van Systens; who with his best pen in his 

finest hand continued to draw up his report。 



Everywhere on her way Rosa heard people speaking only of the 

black tulip; and the prize of a hundred thousand guilders。 

The news had spread like wildfire through the town。 



Rosa had not a little difficulty is penetrating a second 

time into the office of Mynheer van Systens; who; however; 

was again moved by the magic name of the black tulip。 



But when he recognised Rosa; whom in his own mind he had set 

down as mad; or even worse; he grew angry; and wanted to 

send her away。 



Rosa; however; clasped her hands; and said with that tone of 

honest truth which generally finds its way to the hearts of 

men;  



〃For Heaven's sake; sir; do not turn me away; listen to what 

I have to tell you; and if it be not possible for you to do 

me justice; at least you will not one day have to reproach 

yourself before God for having made yourself the accomplice 

of a bad action。〃 



Van Systens stamped his foot with impatience; it was the 

second time that Rosa interrupted him in the midst of a 

composition which stimulated his vanity; both as a 

burgomaster and as President of the Horticultural Society。 



〃But my report!〃 he cried;  〃my report on the black 

tulip!〃 



〃Mynheer van Systens;〃 Rosa continued; with the firmness of 

innocence and truth; 〃your report on the black tulip will; 

if you don't hear me; be based on crime or on falsehood。 I 

implore you; sir; let this Master Boxtel; whom I assert to 

be Master Jacob; be brought here before you and me; and I 

swear that I will leave him in undisturbed possession of the 

tulip if I do not recognise the flower and its holder。〃 



〃Well; I declare; here is a proposal;〃 said Van Systens。 



〃What do you mean?〃 



〃I ask you what can be proved by your recognising them?〃 



〃After all;〃 said Rosa; in her despair; 〃you are an honest 

man; sir; how would you feel if one day you found out that 

you had given the prize to a man for something which he not 

only had not produced; but which he had even stolen?〃 



Rosa's speech seemed to have brought a certain conviction 

into the heart of Van Systens; and he was going to answer 

her in a gentler tone; when at once a great noise was heard 

in the street; and loud cheers shook the house。 



〃What is this?〃 cried the burgomaster; 〃what is this? Is it 

possible? have I heard aright?〃 



And he rushed towards his anteroom; without any longer 

heeding Rosa; whom he left in his cabinet。 



Scarcely had he reached his anteroom when he cried out aloud 

on seeing his staircase invaded; up to the very 

landing…place; by the multitude; which was accompanying; or 

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