Черный тюльпан
The Pigeons of Dort
Onemorning,whilstathiswindowinhalingthefreshairwhichcamefromtheriver,andcastingalonginglooktothewindmillsofhisdearoldcityDort,whichwereloominginthedistancebehindaforestofchimneys,hesawflocksofpigeonscomingfromthatquartertoperchflutteringonthepointedgablesofLoewestein.
Thesepigeons,VanBaerlesaidtohimself,arecomingfromDort,andconsequentlymayreturnthere.Byfasteningalittlenotetothewingofoneofthesepigeons,onemighthaveachancetosendamessagethere.Then,afterafewmoments’consideration,heexclaimed,—
“Iwilldoit.”
Amangrowsverypatientwhoistwenty-eightyearsofage,andcondemnedtoaprisonforlife,—thatistosay,tosomethingliketwenty-twoortwenty-threethousanddaysofcaptivity.
VanBaerle,fromwhosethoughtsthethreebulbswereneverabsent,madeasnareforcatchingthepigeons,baitingthebirdswithalltheresourcesofhiskitchen,suchasitwasforeightslivers(sixpenceEnglish)aday;and,afteramonthofunsuccessfulattempts,heatlastcaughtafemalebird.
Itcosthimtwomoremonthstocatchamalebird;hethenshutthemuptogether,andhavingaboutthebeginningoftheyear1673obtainedsomeeggsfromthem,hereleasedthefemale,which,leavingthemalebehindtohatchtheeggsinherstead,flewjoyouslytoDort,withthenoteunderherwing.
Shereturnedintheevening.Shehadpreservedthenote.
Thusitwentonforfifteendays,atfirsttothedisappointment,andthentothegreatgrief,ofVanBaerle.
Onthesixteenthday,atlast,shecamebackwithoutit.
