the black tulip-第42部分

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justly　prides　itself　on　being　one　of　the　most　shady　in　all　

the　Netherlands。　



While　other　towns　boast　of　the　magnificence　of　their　

arsenals　and　dock…yards；　and　the　splendour　of　their　shops　

and　markets；　Haarlem's　claims　to　fame　rest　upon　her　

superiority　to　all　other　provincial　cities　in　the　number　and　

beauty　of　her　spreading　elms；　graceful　poplars；　and；　more　

than　all；　upon　her　pleasant　walks；　shaded　by　the　lovely　

arches　of　magnificent　oaks；　lindens；　and　chestnuts。　



Haarlem；　　just　as　her　neighbour；　Leyden；　became　the　centre　

of　science；　and　her　queen；　Amsterdam；　that　of　commerce；　　

Haarlem　preferred　to　be　the　agricultural；　or；　more　strictly　

speaking；　the　horticultural　metropolis。　



In　fact；　girt　about　as　she　was；　breezy　and　exposed　to　the　

sun's　hot　rays；　she　seemed　to　offer　to　gardeners　so　many　

more　guarantees　of　success　than　other　places；　with　their　

heavy　sea　air；　and　their　scorching　heat。　



On　this　account　all　the　serene　souls　who　loved　the　earth　and　

its　fruits　had　gradually　gathered　together　at　Haarlem；　just　

as　all　the　nervous；　uneasy　spirits；　whose　ambition　was　for　

travel　and　commerce；　had　settled　in　Rotterdam　and　Amsterdam；　

and　all　the　politicians　and　selfish　worldlings　at　the　Hague。　



We　have　observed　that　Leyden　overflowed　with　scholars。　In　

like　manner　Haarlem　was　devoted　to　the　gentle　pursuits　of　

peace；　　to　music　and　painting；　orchards　and　avenues；　

groves　and　parks。　Haarlem　went　wild　about　flowers；　and　

tulips　received　their　full　share　of　worship。　



Haarlem　offered　prizes　for　tulip…growing；　and　this　fact　

brings　us　in　the　most　natural　manner　to　that　celebration　

which　the　city　intended　to　hold　on　May　15th；　1673　in　honour　

of　the　great　black　tulip；　immaculate　and　perfect；　which　

should　gain　for　its　discoverer　one　hundred　thousand　

guilders！　



Haarlem；　having　placed　on　exhibition　its　favourite；　having　

advertised　its　love　of　flowers　in　general　and　of　tulips　in　

particular；　at　a　period　when　the　souls　of　men　were　filled　

with　war　and　sedition；　　Haarlem；　having　enjoyed　the　

exquisite　pleasure　of　admiring　the　very　purest　ideal　of　

tulips　in　full　bloom；　　Haarlem；　this　tiny　town；　full　of　

trees　and　of　sunshine；　of　light　and　shade；　had　determined　

that　the　ceremony　of　bestowing　the　prize　should　be　a　fete　

which　should　live　for　ever　in　the　memory　of　men。　



So　much　the　more　reason　was　there；　too；　in　her　

determination；　in　that　Holland　is　the　home　of　fetes；　never　

did　sluggish　natures　manifest　more　eager　energy　of　the　

singing　and　dancing　sort　than　those　of　the　good　republicans　

of　the　Seven　Provinces　when　amusement　was　the　order　of　the　

day。　



Study　the　pictures　of　the　two　Teniers。　



It　is　certain　that　sluggish　folk　are　of　all　men　the　most　

earnest　in　tiring　themselves；　not　when　they　are　at　work；　but　

at　play。　



Thus　Haarlem　was　thrice　given　over　to　rejoicing；　for　a　

three…fold　celebration　was　to　take　place。　



In　the　first　place；　the　black　tulip　had　been　produced；　

secondly；　the　Prince　William　of　Orange；　as　a　true　Hollander；　

had　promised　to　be　present　at　the　ceremony　of　its　

inauguration；　and；　thirdly；　it　was　a　point　of　honour　with　

the　States　to　show　to　the　French；　at　the　conclusion　of　such　

a　disastrous　war　as　that　of　1672；　that　the　flooring　of　the　

Batavian　Republic　was　solid　enough　for　its　people　to　dance　

on　it；　with　the　accompaniment　of　the　cannon　of　their　fleets。　



The　Horticultural　Society　of　Haarlem　had　shown　itself　worthy　

of　its　fame　by　giving　a　hundred　thousand　guilders　for　the　

bulb　of　a　tulip。　The　town；　which　did　not　wish　to　be　outdone；　

voted　a　like　sum；　which　was　placed　in　the　hands　of　that　

notable　body　to　solemnise　the　auspicious　event。　



And　indeed　on　the　Sunday　fixed　for　this　ceremony　there　was　

such　a　stir　among　the　people；　and　such　an　enthusiasm　among　

the　townsfolk；　that　even　a　Frenchman；　who　laughs　at　

everything　at　all　times；　could　not　have　helped　admiring　the　

character　of　those　honest　Hollanders；　who　were　equally　ready　

to　spend　their　money　for　the　construction　of　a　man…of…war　　

that　is　to　say；　for　the　support　of　national　honour　　as　

they　were　to　reward　the　growth　of　a　new　flower；　destined　to　

bloom　for　one　day；　and　to　serve　during　that　day　to　divert　

the　ladies；　the　learned；　and　the　curious。　



At　the　head　of　the　notables　and　of　the　Horticultural　

Committee　shone　Mynheer　van　Systens；　dressed　in　his　richest　

habiliments。　



The　worthy　man　had　done　his　best　to　imitate　his　favourite　

flower　in　the　sombre　and　stern　elegance　of　his　garments；　and　

we　are　bound　to　record；　to　his　honour；　that　he　had　perfectly　

succeeded　in　his　object。　



Dark　crimson　velvet；　dark　purple　silk；　and　jet…black　cloth；　

with　linen　of　dazzling　whiteness；　composed　the　festive　dress　

of　the　President；　who　marched　at　the　head　of　his　Committee　

carrying　an　enormous　nosegay；　like　that　which　a　hundred　and　

twenty…one　years　later；　Monsieur　de　Robespierre　displayed　at　

the　festival　of　〃The　Supreme　Being。〃　



There　was；　however；　a　little　difference　between　the　two；　

very　different　from　the　French　tribune；　whose　heart　was　so　

full　of　hatred　and　ambitious　vindictiveness；　was　the　honest　

President；　who　carried　in　his　bosom　a　heart　as　innocent　as　

the　flowers　which　he　held　in　his　hand。　



Behind　the　Committee；　who　were　as　gay　as　a　meadow；　and　as　

fragrant　as　a　garden　in　spring；　marched　the　learned　

societies　of　the　town；　the　magistrates；　the　military；　the　

nobles　and　the　boors。　



The　people；　even　among　the　respected　republicans　of　the　

Seven　Provinces；　had　no　place　assigned　to　them　in　the　

procession；　they　merely　lined　the　streets。　



This　is　the　place　for　the　multitude；　which　with　true　

philosophic　spirit；　waits　until　the　triumphal　pageants　have　

passed；　to　know　what　to　say　of　them；　and　sometimes　also　to　

know　what　to　do。　



This　time；　however；　there　was　no　question　either　of　the　

triumph　of　Pompey　or　of　Caesar；　neither　of　the　defeat　of　

Mithridates；　nor　of　the　conquest　of　Gaul。　The　procession　was　

as　placid　as　the　passing　of　a　flock　of　lambs；　and　as　

inoffensive　as　a　flight　of　birds　sweeping　through　the　air。　



Haarlem　had　no　other　triumphers；　except　its　gardeners。　

Worshipping　flowers；　Haarlem　idolised　the　florist。　



In　the　centre　of　this　pacific　and　fragrant　cortege　the　black　

tulip　was　seen；　carried　on　a　litter；　which　was　covered　with　

white　velvet　and　fringed　with　gold。　



The　handles　of　the　litter　were　supported　by　four　men；　who　

were　from　time　to　time　relieved　by　fresh　relays；　　even　as　

the　bearers　of　Mother　Cybele　used　to　take　turn　and　turn　

about　at　Rome　in　the　ancient　days；　when　she　was　brought　from　

Etruria　to　the　Eternal　City；　amid　the　blare　of　trumpets　and　

the　worship　of　a　whole　nation。　



This　public　exhibition　of　the　tulip　was　an　act　of　adoration　

rendered　by　an　entire　nation；　unlettered　and　unrefined；　to　

the　refinement　and　culture　of　its　illustrious　and　devout　

leaders；　whose　blood　had　stained　the　foul　pavement　of　the　

Buytenhof；　reserving　the　right　at　a　future　day　to　inscribe　

the　names　of　its　victims　upon　the　highest　stone　of　the　Dutch　

Pantheon。　



It　was　arranged　that　the　Prince　Stadtholder　himself　should　

give　the　prize　of　a　hundred　thousand　guilders；　which　

interested　the　people　at　large；　and　it　was　thought　that　

perhaps　he　would　make　a　speech　which　interested　more　

particularly　his　friends　and　enemies。　



For　in　the　most　insignificant　words　of　men　of　political　

importance　their　friends　and　their　opponents　always　

endeavour　to　detect；　and　hence　think　they　can　interpret；　

something　of　their　true　thoughts。　



As　if　your　true　politician's　hat　were　not　a　bushel　under　

which　he　always　hides　his　light！　



At　length　the　great　and　long…expected　day　　May　15；　1673　　

arrived；　and　all　Haarlem；　swelled　by　her　neighbours；　was　

gathered　in　the　beautiful　tree…lined　streets；　determined　on　

this　occasion　not　to　waste　its　applause　upon　military　

heroes；　or　those　who　had　won　notable　victories　in　the　field　

of　science；　but　to　reserve　their　applause　for　those　who　had　

overcome　Nature；　and　had　forced　the　inexhaustible　mother　to　

be　delivered　of　what　had　theretofore　been　regarded　as　

impossible；　　a　completely　black　tulip。　



Nothing　however；　is　more　fickle　than　such　a　resolution　of　

the　people。　When　a　crowd　is　once　in　the　humour　to　cheer；　it　

is　just　the　same　as　when　it　begins　to　hiss。　It　never　knows　

when　to　stop。　



It　therefore；　in　the　first　place；　cheered　Van　Systens　and　

his　nosegay；　then　the　corporation；　then　followed　a　cheer　for　

the　people；　and；　at　last；　and　for　once　with　great　justice；　

there　was　one　for　the　excellent　music　with　which　the　

gentlemen　of　the　town　councils　generously　treated　the　

assemblage　at　every　halt。　



Every　eye　was　looking　eagerly　for　the　heroine　of　the　

festival；　　that　is　to　say；　the　black　tulip；　　and　for　its　

hero　in　the　person　of　the　one　who　had　grown　it。　



In　case　this　hero　should　make　his　appearance　after　the　

address　we　have　seen　worthy　Van　Systens　at　work　on　so　

conscientiously；　he　would　not　fail　to　make　as　much　of　a　

sensation　as　the　Stadtholder　himself。　



But　the　interest　of　the　day's　proceedings　for　us　is　centred　

neither　in　the　learned　discourse　of　our　friend　Van　Systens；　

however　eloquent　it　might　be；　nor　in　the　young　dandies；　

resplendent　in　their　Sunday　clothes；　and　munching　their　

heavy　cakes；　nor　in　the　poor　young　peasants；　gnawing　smoked　

eels　as　if　they　were　sticks　of　vanilla　sweetmeat；　neither　is　

our　interest　in　the　lovely　Dutch　girls；　with　red　cheeks　and　

ivory　bosoms；　nor　in　the　fat；　round　mynheers；　who　had　never　

left　their　homes　before；　nor　in　the　sallow；　thin　travellers　

from　Ceylon　or　Java；　nor　in　the　thirsty　crowds；　who　quenched　

their　thirst　with　pickled　cucumbers；　　no；　so　far　as　we　are　

concerned；　the　real　interest　of　the　situation；　the　

fascinating；　dramatic　interest；　is　n