Черный тюльпан
Cornelius van Baerle’s Will
Corneliustookit,andonthesecondflyleaf(foritwillberememberedthatthefirstwastornout),drawingnearhisendlikehisgodfather,hewrotewithanolessfirmhand:—
“Onthisday,the23dofAugust,1672,beingonthepointofrendering,althoughinnocent,mysoultoGodonthescaffold,IbequeathtoRosaGryphustheonlyworldlygoodswhichremaintomeofallthatIhavepossessedinthisworld,theresthavingbeenconfiscated;Ibequeath,Isay,toRosaGryphusthreebulbs,whichIamconvincedmustproduce,inthenextMay,theGrandBlackTulipforwhichaprizeofahundredthousandguildershasbeenofferedbytheHaarlemSociety,requestingthatshemaybepaidthesamesuminmystead,asmysoleheiress,undertheonlyconditionofhermarryingarespectableyoungmanofaboutmyage,wholovesher,andwhomsheloves,andofhergivingtheblacktulip,whichwillconstituteanewspecies,thenameofRosaBarlœnsis,thatistosay,hersandminecombined.
“SomayGodgrantmemercy,andtoherhealthandlonglife!
“CorneliusvanBaerle.”
Theprisonerthen,givingtheBibletoRosa,said,—
“Read.”
“Alas!”sheanswered,“IhavealreadytoldyouIcannotread.”
CorneliusthenreadtoRosathetestamentthathehadjustmade.
Theagonyofthepoorgirlalmostoverpoweredher.
“Doyouacceptmyconditions?”askedtheprisoner,withamelancholysmile,kissingthetremblinghandsoftheafflictedgirl.
“Oh,Idon’tknow,sir,”shestammered.
“Youdon’tknow,child,andwhynot?”
“BecausethereisoneconditionwhichIamafraidIcannotkeep.
