Черный тюльпан
What was going on all this Time in the Mind of one of the Spectators
ThemostfurioushadcometotheBuytenhofatdaybreak,tosecureabetterplace;buthe,outdoingeventhem,hadpassedthenightatthethresholdoftheprison,fromwhence,aswehavealreadysaid,hehadadvancedtotheveryforemostrank,unguibusetrostro,—thatistosay,coaxingsome,andkickingtheothers.
Andwhentheexecutionerhadconductedtheprisonertothescaffold,theburgher,whohadmountedonthestoneofthepumpthebettertoseeandbeseen,madetotheexecutionerasignwhichmeant,—
“It’sabargain,isn’tit?”
Theexecutioneransweredbyanothersign,whichwasmeanttosay,—
“Bequiet,it’sallright.”
ThisburgherwasnootherthanMynheerIsaacBoxtel,whosincethearrestofCorneliushadcometotheHaguetotryifhecouldnotgetholdofthethreebulbsoftheblacktulip.
BoxtelhadatfirsttriedtogainoverGryphustohisinterest,butthejailerhadnotonlythesnarlingfierceness,butlikewisethefidelity,ofadog.HehadthereforebristledupatBoxtel’shatred,whomhehadsuspectedtobeawarmfriendoftheprisoner,makingtriflinginquiriestocontrivewiththemorecertaintysomemeansofescapeforhim.
ThustotheveryfirstproposalswhichBoxtelmadetoGryphustofilchthebulbswhichCorneliusvanBaerlemustbesupposedtoconceal,ifnotinhisbreast,atleastinsomecornerofhiscell,thesurlyjailerhadonlyansweredbykickingMynheerIsaacout,andsettingthedogathim.
ThepiecewhichthemastiffhadtornfromhishosedidnotdiscourageBoxtel.
