The Black Tulip

t was climbing the narrow winding stairs which led to the prison of his brother Cornelius

y appreciated the laudable intentions of hi

for the

the protection of the cocked pistols of his dragoons, explaining to the valiant townsmen, that h

r? Why guard the prison

I was told, 'Guard the prison,' and I guard it. You, gentlemen, who are almos

to you that the traitors may

traitors are condemned

as given t

tes, to

tes are

ow anything

e a traitor

I

s,

hom should I betray? The States? Why, I cannot betray them,

to argue against him, the mob answered only by redoubled clamour and

wound one of my men, we should knock over a couple of hundreds of yours, for which we should, indeed, be

the burghers, "we shoul

very man Jack of us, those whom we should have

s, and you will perform th

ander, 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 or

ately swelled by five hundred others; "let us march to the Town

among the crowd turning away; "go and ask for a meanness at the Town-hal

r of the magistrates, who, on their si

unt, "I hope the deputies will give these madmen a flat refusal; but, a

, had reached the door of the cell, where on a mattress his brother Cornelius was resting, after having undergone the preparatory degr

crime of which he was not guilty; and now, after three days of agony, he once more breathed freely, o

ld only have seen, in the dark cell of the Buytenhof, his pale face lit up by the smile of the marty

g to the force of his own strong will than to actual aid; and he was calcul

st the two brothers, and threatening Captain Tilly, who served as a rampart to them. This noise, which roared

le to inquire after its cause; nor did he get up to look out of the narrow grat

hich connected his immortal being with his perishable frame gradually loosening, that it seemed to him as if his spirit, freed

, hurrying to the bedside of the prisoner, who stretched out his broken limbs and his hands tied up in bandages towards that

on the forehead, and put his sore

her, you are suffering g

longer, since I s

s! I feel most wretched to

me, I never thought of uttering a complaint, except once, to say, 'Poor brother!' But

a

me to get up, and you s

, as I have my coach near the

! What are they n

l to him, "the gentlemen at the Town-hall expect that the people at the Hag

ius, fixing his eyes on his p

Corn

he prisoner, as if speaking to himself. Th

persons down bef

brother,

to come h

el

they have allo

said the Grand Pensionary, with gloomy bitterness. "I hav

yoursel

d I did what people will do in politics, or on

low was heard to roar with increasing fur

safely guide your brother out of the Buytenhof in the midst of this gale, and through the raging su

e'll at least try," answered John;

pe

uts beg

s, "how angry those people are!

, that the Orange party, while assailing us with their absurd calumnies, ha

ckheads t

they reproac

eats of Rees, Orsay, Wesel, and Rheinberg; the Rhine would not have been crossed, and

le to save the frail barque which is to carry the brothers De Witt and their fortunes out of Holland. That correspondence, which might prove to honest people how dearly I love my country, and what sacri

of late the greatest, most generous, and most able citizen of the Seven United Provinces. I rejoice in the glory of m

e is concerned," quietly said the Gra

hall at the same time save our l

you done with

f Cornelius van Baerle, my godson, w

othing but of flowers and of God who made them. You have intrus

s r

ce; if he is weak, he will be afraid on account of his connection with us: if he is strong, he will betray the secret by his boldness; if he is we

and grasping the hand of his brother, who shudd

heart? You ask whether he is strong or weak. He is neither the one nor the other; but that is not now the question. The p

d round in

istinguished politician John de Witt; and I repeat to you, that Van Baerle is not

e is still time, let us convey to

ugh w

companied us on horseback, and who has entered

having those precious

ily save their lives, to be able to save their character. If we are de

they would kill us if

o the square, whence, at that very moment, fierc

hear these shouts very plainl

ened th

raitors!" howle

ear now,

id the prisoner, raising his eyes to

ans us," re

is Cr

of your cel

m enter

e faithful servant was w

mind well what my br

send a verbal message; unfortuna

why t

give up the parcel nor burn it wi

ow?" John asked, with a look on the scorched

nk you would soon s

pencil, a

er? for they have

Bible, and tear o

ll, that

iting will b

ners have indeed pinched me badly enough, but my hand will no

gh the white linen bandages drops of blood oozed out which the pres

on the brow of th

lius

ear G

t, so that its contents may for ever remain unknown to yourself. Secrets of this description are dea

ll, and

lius d

t 20th

ed the leaf, and, after having handed the despatch to Craeke with a last directi

ill be a signal of his being clear of the crowd, and of his having reac

and shrill whistle was heard through the d

y raised his e

d he, "let us