Черный тюльпан
Cornelius van Baerle’s Will
Astoaletter,hecertainlyhadsomeremembrancethatsomemomentsprevioustohisarrest,whilsthewasabsorbedinthecontemplationofoneoftherarestofhisbulbs,JohndeWitt’sservantenteredhisdry-room,andhandedtohimapaper,butthewholewastohimonlylikeavaguedream;theservanthaddisappeared,andastothepaper,perhapsitmightbefoundifapropersearchweremade.
AsfarasCraekewasconcerned,itwasimpossibletofindhim,ashehadleftHolland.
Thepaperalsowasnotverylikelytobefound,andnoonegavehimselfthetroubletolookforit.
Corneliushimselfdidnotmuchpressthispoint,since,evensupposingthatthepapershouldturnup,itcouldnothaveanydirectconnectionwiththecorrespondencewhichconstitutedthecrime.
ThejudgeswishedtomakeitappearasthoughtheywantedtourgeCorneliustomakeabetterdefence;theydisplayedthatbenevolentpatiencewhichisgenerallyasignofthemagistrate’sbeinginterestedfortheprisoner,orofaman’shavingsocompletelygotthebetterofhisadversarythatheneedsnolongeranyoppressivemeanstoruinhim.
Corneliusdidnotacceptofthishypocriticalprotection,andinalastanswer,whichhesetforthwiththenoblebearingofamartyrandthecalmserenityofarighteousman,hesaid,—
“Youaskmethings,gentlemen,towhichIcanansweronlytheexacttruth.Hearit.
