the black tulip-第14部分
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treason； and arrested； his accomplice； Cornelius van
Baerle； is no less a bad citizen than himself。
〃And； as I am a good citizen； and as it is the duty of every
good citizen to inform against the bad ones； it is my duty
to inform against Cornelius van Baerle。〃
Specious as this mode of reasoning might sound； it would not
perhaps have taken so complete a hold of Boxtel； nor would
he perhaps have yielded to the mere desire of vengeance
which was gnawing at his heart； had not the demon of envy
been joined with that of cupidity。
Boxtel was quite aware of the progress which Van Baerle had
made towards producing the grand black tulip。
Dr。 Cornelius； notwithstanding all his modesty； had not been
able to hide from his most intimate friends that he was all
but certain to win； in the year of grace 1673； the prize of
a hundred thousand guilders offered by the Horticultural
Society of Haarlem。
It was just this certainty of Cornelius van Baerle that
caused the fever which raged in the heart of Isaac Boxtel。
If Cornelius should be arrested there would necessarily be a
great upset in his house； and during the night after his
arrest no one would think of keeping watch over the tulips
in his garden。
Now in that night Boxtel would climb over the wall and； as
he knew the position of the bulb which was to produce the
grand black tulip； he would filch it； and instead of
flowering for Cornelius； it would flower for him； Isaac； he
also； instead of Van Baerle； would have the prize of a
hundred thousand guilders； not to speak of the sublime
honour of calling the new flower Tulipa nigra Boxtellensis；
a result which would satisfy not only his vengeance； but
also his cupidity and his ambition。
Awake； he thought of nothing but the grand black tulip；
asleep； he dreamed of it。
At last； on the 19th of August； about two o'clock in the
afternoon； the temptation grew so strong； that Mynheer Isaac
was no longer able to resist it。
Accordingly； he wrote an anonymous information； the minute
exactness of which made up for its want of authenticity； and
posted his letter。
Never did a venomous paper； slipped into the jaws of the
bronze lions at Venice； produce a more prompt and terrible
effect。
On the same evening the letter reached the principal
magistrate； who without a moment's delay convoked his
colleagues early for the next morning。 On the following
morning； therefore； they assembled； and decided on Van
Baerle's arrest； placing the order for its execution in the
hands of Master van Spennen； who； as we have seen； performed
his duty like a true Hollander； and who arrested the Doctor
at the very hour when the Orange party at the Hague were
roasting the bleeding shreds of flesh torn from the corpses
of Cornelius and John de Witt。
But； whether from a feeling of shame or from craven
weakness； Isaac Boxtel did not venture that day to point his
telescope either at the garden； or at the laboratory； or at
the dry…room。
He knew too well what was about to happen in the house of
the poor doctor to feel any desire to look into it。 He did
not even get up when his only servant who envied the lot
of the servants of Cornelius just as bitterly as Boxtel did
that of their master entered his bedroom。 He said to the
man；
〃I shall not get up to…day； I am ill。〃
About nine o'clock he heard a great noise in the street
which made him tremble； at this moment he was paler than a
real invalid； and shook more violently than a man in the
height of fever。
His servant entered the room； Boxtel hid himself under the
counterpane。
〃Oh； sir！〃 cried the servant； not without some inkling that；
whilst deploring the mishap which had befallen Van Baerle；
he was announcing agreeable news to his master； 〃oh； sir！
you do not know； then； what is happening at this moment？〃
〃How can I know it？〃 answered Boxtel； with an almost
unintelligible voice。
〃Well； Mynheer Boxtel； at this moment your neighbour
Cornelius van Baerle is arrested for high treason。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 Boxtel muttered； with a faltering voice； 〃the
thing is impossible。〃
〃Faith； sir； at any rate that's what people say； and；
besides； I have seen Judge van Spennen with the archers
entering the house。〃
〃Well； if you have seen it with your own eyes； that's a
different case altogether。〃
〃At all events；〃 said the servant； 〃I shall go and inquire
once more。 Be you quiet； sir； I shall let you know all about
it。〃
Boxtel contented himself with signifying his approval of the
zeal of his servant by dumb show。
The man went out； and returned in half an hour。
〃Oh； sir； all that I told you is indeed quite true。〃
〃How so？〃
〃Mynheer van Baerle is arrested； and has been put into a
carriage； and they are driving him to the Hague。〃
〃To the Hague！〃
〃Yes； to the Hague； and if what people say is true； it won't
do him much good。〃
〃And what do they say？〃 Boxtel asked。
〃Faith； sir； they say but it is not quite sure that by
this hour the burghers must be murdering Mynheer Cornelius
and Mynheer John de Witt。〃
〃Oh；〃 muttered； or rather growled Boxtel； closing his eyes
from the dreadful picture which presented itself to his
imagination。
〃Why； to be sure；〃 said the servant to himself； whilst
leaving the room； 〃Mynheer Isaac Boxtel must be very sick
not to have jumped from his bed on hearing such good news。〃
And； in reality； Isaac Boxtel was very sick； like a man who
has murdered another。
But he had murdered his man with a double object； the first
was attained； the second was still to be attained。
Night closed in。 It was the night which Boxtel had looked
forward to。
As soon as it was dark he got up。
He then climbed into his sycamore。
He had calculated correctly； no one thought of keeping watch
over the garden； the house and the servants were all in the
utmost confusion。
He heard the clock strike ten； eleven； twelve。
At midnight； with a beating heart； trembling hands； and a
livid countenance； he descended from the tree； took a
ladder； leaned it against the wall； mounted it to the last
step but one； and listened。
All was perfectly quiet； not a sound broke the silence of
the night； one solitary light； that of the housekeeper； was
burning in the house。
This silence and this darkness emboldened Boxtel； he got
astride the wall； stopped for an instant； and； after having
ascertained that there was nothing to fear； he put his
ladder from his own garden into that of Cornelius； and
descended。
Then； knowing to an inch where the bulbs which were to
produce the black tulip were planted； he ran towards the
spot； following； however； the gravelled walks in order not
to be betrayed by his footprints； and； on arriving at the
precise spot； he proceeded； with the eagerness of a tiger；
to plunge his hand into the soft ground。
He found nothing； and thought he was mistaken。
In the meanwhile； the cold sweat stood on his brow。
He felt about close by it； nothing。
He felt about on the right； and on the left； nothing。
He felt about in front and at the back； nothing。
He was nearly mad； when at last he satisfied himself that on
that very morning the earth had been disturbed。
In fact； whilst Boxtel was lying in bed； Cornelius had gone
down to his garden； had taken up the mother bulb； and； as we
have seen； divided it into three。
Boxtel could not bring himself to leave the place。 He dug up
with his hands more than ten square feet of ground。
At last no doubt remained of his misfortune。 Mad with rage；
he returned to his ladder； mounted the wall； drew up the
ladder； flung it into his own garden； and jumped after it。
All at once； a last ray of hope presented itself to his
mind： the seedling bulbs might be in the dry…room； it was
therefore only requisite to make his entry there as he had
done into the garden。
There he would find them； and； moreover； it was not at all
difficult； as the sashes of the dry…room might be raised
like those of a greenhouse。 Cornelius had opened them on
that morning； and no one had thought of closing them again。
Everything； therefore； depended upon whether he could
procure a ladder of sufficient length； one of twenty…five
feet instead of ten。
Boxtel had noticed in the street where he lived a house
which was being repaired； and against which a very tall
ladder was placed。
This ladder would do admirably； unless the workmen had taken
it away。
He ran to the house： the ladder was there。 Boxtel took it；
carried it with great exertion to his garden； and with even
greater difficulty raised it against the wall of Van
Baerle's house； where it just reached to the window。
Boxtel put a lighted dark lantern into his pocket； mounted
the ladder； and slipped into the dry…room。
On reaching this sanctuary of the florist he stopped；
supporting himself against the table； his legs failed him；
his heart beat as if it would choke him。 Here it was even
worse than in the garden； there Boxtel was only a
trespasser； here he was a thief。
However； he took courage again： he had not gone so far to
turn back with empty hands。
But in vain did he search the whole room； open and shut all
the drawers； even that privileged one where the parcel which
had been so fatal to Cornelius had been deposited； he found
ticketed； as in a botanical garden； the 〃Jane；〃 the 〃John de
Witt；〃 the hazel…nut； and the roasted…coffee coloured tulip；
but of the black tulip； or rather the seedling bulbs within
which it was still sleeping； not a trace was found。
A
