the black tulip(黑郁金香)-第8节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


man；　who　has　been　your　Highness's　instructor？　If　there　be　
any　means；　name　it；　and　if　I　should　perish　in　the　attempt　
　〃　

William　of　Orange　　for　he　it　was　　knit　his　brows　in　a　
very　forbidding　manner；　restrained　the　glance　of　gloomy　
malice　which　glistened　in　his　half…closed　eye；　and　answered；　
　

〃Captain　Van　Deken；　I　request　you　to　go　and　look　after　my　
troops；　that　they　may　be　armed　for　any　emergency。〃　

〃But　am　I　to　leave　your　Highness　here；　alone；　in　the　
presence　of　all　these　murderers？〃　

〃Go；　and　don't　you　trouble　yourself　about　me　more　than　I　do　
myself；〃　the　Prince　gruffly　replied。　

The　officer　started　off　with　a　speed　which　was　much　less　
owing　to　his　sense　of　military　obedience　than　to　his　
pleasure　at　being　relieved　from　the　necessity　of　witnessing　
the　shocking　spectacle　of　the　murder　of　the　other　brother。　

He　had　scarcely　left　the　room；　when　John　　who；　with　an　
almost　superhuman　effort；　had　reached　the　stone　steps　of　a　
house　nearly　opposite　that　where　his　former　pupil　concealed　
himself　　began　to　stagger　under　the　blows　which　were　
inflicted　on　him　from　all　sides；　calling　out；　　

〃My　brother！　where　is　my　brother？〃　

One　of　the　ruffians　knocked　off　his　hat　with　a　blow　of　his　
clenched　fist。　

Another　showed　to　him　his　bloody　hands；　for　this　fellow　had　
ripped　open　Cornelius　and　disembowelled　him；　and　was　now　
hastening　to　the　spot　in　order　not　to　lose　the　opportunity　
of　serving　the　Grand　Pensionary　in　the　same　manner；　whilst　
they　were　dragging　the　dead　body　of　Cornelius　to　the　gibbet。　

John　uttered　a　cry　of　agony　and　grief；　and　put　one　of　his　
hands　before　his　eyes。　

〃Oh；　you　close　your　eyes；　do　you？〃　said　one　of　the　soldiers　
of　the　burgher　guard；　〃well；　I　shall　open　them　for　you。〃　

And　saying　this　he　stabbed　him　with　his　pike　in　the　face；　
and　the　blood　spurted　forth。　

〃My　brother！〃　cried　John　de　Witt；　trying　to　see　through　the　
stream　of　blood　which　blinded　him；　what　had　become　of　
Cornelius；　〃my　brother；　my　brother！〃　

〃Go　and　run　after　him！〃　bellowed　another　murderer；　putting　
his　musket　to　his　temples　and　pulling　the　trigger。　

But　the　gun　did　not　go　off。　

The　fellow　then　turned　his　musket　round；　and；　taking　it　by　
the　barrel　with　both　hands；　struck　John　de　Witt　down　with　
the　butt…end。　John　staggered　and　fell　down　at　his　feet；　but；　
raising　himself　with　a　last　effort；　he　once　more　called　out；　
　

〃My　brother！〃　with　a　voice　so　full　of　anguish　that　the　young　
man　opposite　closed　the　shutter。　

There　remained　little　more　to　see；　a　third　murderer　fired　a　
pistol　with　the　muzzle　to　his　face；　and　this　time　the　shot　
took　effect；　blowing　out　his　brains。　John　de　Witt　fell　to　
rise　no　more。　

On　this；　every　one　of　the　miscreants；　emboldened　by　his　
fall；　wanted　to　fire　his　gun　at　him；　or　strike　him　with　
blows　of　the　sledge…hammer；　or　stab　him　with　a　knife　or　
swords；　every　one　wanted　to　draw　a　drop　of　blood　from　the　
fallen　hero；　and　tear　off　a　shred　from　his　garments。　

And　after　having　mangled；　and　torn；　and　completely　stripped　
the　two　brothers；　the　mob　dragged　their　naked　and　bloody　
bodies　to　an　extemporised　gibbet；　where　amateur　executioners　
hung　them　up　by　the　feet。　

Then　came　the　most　dastardly　scoundrels　of　all；　who　not　
having　dared　to　strike　the　living　flesh；　cut　the　dead　in　
pieces；　and　then　went　about　the　town　selling　small　slices　of　
the　bodies　of　John　and　Cornelius　at　ten　sous　a　piece。　

We　cannot　take　upon　ourselves　to　say　whether；　through　the　
almost　imperceptible　chink　of　the　shutter；　the　young　man　
witnessed　the　conclusion　of　this　shocking　scene；　but　at　the　
very　moment　when　they　were　hanging　the　two　martyrs　on　the　
gibbet　he　passed　through　the　terrible　mob；　which　was　too　
much　absorbed　in　the　task；　so　grateful　to　its　taste；　to　take　
any　notice　of　him；　and　thus　he　reached　unobserved　the　
Tol…Hek；　which　was　still　closed。　

〃Ah！　sir；〃　said　the　gatekeeper；　〃do　you　bring　me　the　key？〃　

〃Yes；　my　man；　here　it　is。〃　

〃It　is　most　unfortunate　that　you　did　not　bring　me　that　key　
only　one　quarter　of　an　hour　sooner；〃　said　the　gatekeeper；　
with　a　sigh。　

〃And　why　that？〃　asked　the　other。　

〃Because　I　might　have　opened　the　gate　to　Mynheers　de　Witt；　
whereas；　finding　the　gate　locked；　they　were　obliged　to　
retrace　their　steps。〃　

〃Gate！　gate！〃　cried　a　voice　which　seemed　to　be　that　of　a　man　
in　a　hurry。　

The　Prince；　turning　round；　observed　Captain　Van　Deken。　

〃Is　that　you；　Captain？〃　he　said。　〃You　are　not　yet　out　of　the　
Hague？　This　is　executing　my　orders　very　slowly。〃　

〃Monseigneur；〃　replied　the　Captain；　〃this　is　the　third　gate　
at　which　I　have　presented　myself；　the　other　two　were　
closed。〃　

〃Well；　this　good　man　will　open　this　one　for　you；　do　it；　my　
friend。〃　

The　last　words　were　addressed　to　the　gatekeeper；　who　stood　
quite　thunderstruck　on　hearing　Captain　Van　Deken　addressing　
by　the　title　of　Monseigneur　this　pale　young　man；　to　whom　he　
himself　had　spoken　in　such　a　familiar　way。　

As　it　were　to　make　up　for　his　fault；　he　hastened　to　open　the　
gate；　which　swung　creaking　on　its　hinges。　

〃Will　Monseigneur　avail　himself　of　my　horse？〃　asked　the　
Captain。　

〃I　thank　you；　Captain；　I　shall　use　my　own　steed；　which　is　
waiting　for　me　close　at　hand。〃　

And　taking　from　his　pocket　a　golden　whistle；　such　as　was　
generally　used　at　that　time　for　summoning　the　servants；　he　
sounded　it　with　a　shrill　and　prolonged　call；　on　which　an　
equerry　on　horseback　speedily　made　his　appearance；　leading　
another　horse　by　the　bridle。　

William；　without　touching　the　stirrup；　vaulted　into　the　
saddle　of　the　led　horse；　and；　setting　his　spurs　into　its　
flanks；　started　off　for　the　Leyden　road。　Having　reached　it；　
he　turned　round　and　beckoned　to　the　Captain　who　was　far　
behind；　to　ride　by　his　side。　

〃Do　you　know；〃　he　then　said；　without　stopping；　〃that　those　
rascals　have　killed　John　de　Witt　as　well　as　his　brother？〃　

〃Alas！　Monseigneur；〃　the　Captain　answered　sadly；　〃I　should　
like　it　much　better　if　these　two　difficulties　were　still　in　
your　Highness's　way　of　becoming　de　facto　Stadtholder　of　
Holland。〃　

〃Certainly；　it　would　have　been　better；〃　said　William；　〃if　
what　did　happen　had　not　happened。　But　it　cannot　be　helped　
now；　and　we　have　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　Let　us　push　on；　
Captain；　that　we　may　arrive　at　Alphen　before　the　message　
which　the　States…General　are　sure　to　send　to　me　to　the　
camp。〃　

The　Captain　bowed；　allowed　the　Prince　to　ride　ahead　and；　for　
the　remainder　of　the　journey；　kept　at　the　same　respectful　
distance　as　he　had　done　before　his　Highness　called　him　to　
his　side。　

〃How　I　should　wish；〃　William　of　Orange　malignantly　muttered　
to　himself；　with　a　dark　frown　and　setting　the　spurs　to　his　
horse；　〃to　see　the　figure　which　Louis　will　cut　when　he　is　
apprised　of　the　manner　in　which　his　dear　friends　De　Witt　
have　been　served！　Oh　thou　Sun！　thou　Sun！　as　truly　as　I　am　
called　William　the　Silent；　thou　Sun；　thou　hadst　best　look　to　
thy　rays！〃　

And　the　young　Prince；　the　relentless　rival　of　the　Great　
King；　sped　away　upon　his　fiery　steed；　　this　future　
Stadtholder　who　had　been　but　the　day　before　very　uncertainly　
established　in　his　new　power；　but　for　whom　the　burghers　of　
the　Hague　had　built　a　staircase　with　the　bodies　of　John　and　
Cornelius；　two　princes　as　noble　as　he　in　the　eyes　of　God　and　man。　




Chapter　5

The　Tulip…fancier　and　his　Neighbour


Whilst　the　burghers　of　the　Hague　were　tearing　in　pieces　the　
bodies　of　John　and　Cornelius　de　Witt；　and　whilst　William　of　
Orange；　after　having　made　sure　that　his　two　antagonists　were　
really　dead；　was　galloping　over　the　Leyden　road；　followed　by　
Captain　van　Deken；　whom　he　found　a　little　too　compassionate　
to　honour　him　any　longer　with　his　confidence；　Craeke；　the　
faithful　servant；　mounted　on　a　good　horse；　and　little　
suspecting　what　terrible　events　had　taken　place　since　his　
departure；　proceeded　along　the　high　road　lined　with　trees；　
until　he　was　clear　of　the　town　and　the　neighbouring　
villages。　

Being　once　safe；　he　left　his　horse　at　a　livery　stable　in　
order　not　to　arouse　suspicion；　and　tranquilly　continued　his　
journey　on　the　canal…boats；　which　conveyed　him　by　easy　
stages　to　Dort；　pursuing　their　way　under　skilful　guidance　by　
the　shortest　possible　routes　through　the　windings　of　the　
river；　which　held　in　its　watery　embrace　so　many　enchanting　
little　islands；　edged　with　willows　and　rushes；　and　abounding　
in　luxurious　vegetation；　whereon　flocks　of　fat　sheep　browsed　
in　peaceful　sleepiness。　Craeke　from　afar　off　recognised　
Dort；　the　smiling　city；　at　the　foot　of　a　hill　dotted　with　
windmills。　He　saw　the　fine　red　brick　houses；　mortared　in　
white　lines；　standing　on　the　edge　of　the　water；　and　their　
balconies；　open　towards　the　river；　decked　out　with　silk　
tapestry　embroidered　with　gold　flowers；　the　wonderful　
manufacture　of　India　and　China；　and　near　these　brilliant　
stuffs；　large　lines　set　to　catch　the　voracious　eels；　which　
are　attracted　towards　the　houses　by　the　garbage　thrown　every　
day　from　the　kitchens　into　the　river。　

Craeke；　standing　on　the　deck　of　the　boat；　saw；　across　the　
moving　sails　of　the　windmills；　on　the　slope　of　the　hill；　the　
red　and　pink　house　which　wa