Черный тюльпан
What was going on all this Time in the Mind of one of the Spectators
Hecamebacktothecharge,butthistimeGryphuswasinbed,feverish,andwithabrokenarm.Hethereforewasnotabletoadmitthepetitioner,whothenaddressedhimselftoRosa,offeringtobuyherahead-dressofpuregoldifshewouldgetthebulbsforhim.Onthis,thegenerousgirl,althoughnotyetknowingthevalueoftheobjectoftherobbery,whichwastobesowellremunerated,haddirectedthetemptertotheexecutioner,astheheiroftheprisoner.
Inthemeanwhilethesentencehadbeenpronounced.ThusIsaachadnomoretimetobribeanyone.HethereforeclungtotheideawhichRosahadsuggested:hewenttotheexecutioner.
IsaachadnottheleastdoubtthatCorneliuswoulddiewiththebulbsonhisheart.
ButthereweretwothingswhichBoxteldidnotcalculateupon:—
Rosa,thatistosay,love;
WilliamofOrange,thatistosay,clemency.
ButforRosaandWilliam,thecalculationsoftheenviousneighbourwouldhavebeencorrect.
ButforWilliam,Corneliuswouldhavedied.
ButforRosa,Corneliuswouldhavediedwithhisbulbsonhisheart.
MynheerBoxtelwenttotheheadsman,towhomhegavehimselfoutasagreatfriendofthecondemnedman;andfromwhomheboughtalltheclothesofthedeadmanthatwastobe,foronehundredguilders;ratheranexorbitantsum,asheengagedtoleaveallthetrinketsofgoldandsilvertotheexecutioner.
ButwhatwasthesumofahundredguilderstoamanwhowasallbutsuretobuywithittheprizeoftheHaarlemSociety?
Itwasmoneylentatathousandpercent.,which,asnobodywilldeny,wasaveryhandsomeinvestment.
