Черный тюльпан
Rosa’s Lover
’
“‘Youwillsearchfortheothers?’criedJacob,takingmyfatherbythecollar;butheimmediatelyloosedhim.Then,turningtowardsme,hecontinued,asking‘Andwhatdidthatpooryoungmansay?’
“Ididnotknowwhattoanswer,asyouhadsostrictlyenjoinedmenevertoallowanyonetoguesstheinterestwhichyouaretakinginthebulb.Fortunately,myfathersavedmefromthedifficultybychimingin,—
“‘Whatdidhesay?Didn’thefumeandfret?’
“Iinterruptedhim,saying,‘Wasitnotnaturalthatheshouldbefurious,youweresounjustandbrutal,father?’
“‘Well,now,areyoumad?’criedmyfather;‘whatimmensemisfortuneisittocrushatulipbulb?YoumaybuyahundredoftheminthemarketofGorcum.’
“‘Perhapssomelesspreciousonethanthatwas!’Iquiteincautiouslyreplied.”
“AndwhatdidJacobsayordoatthesewords?”askedCornelius.
“Atthesewords,ifImustsayit,hiseyesseemedtoflashlikelightning.”
“But,”saidCornelius,“thatwasnotall;Iamsurehesaidsomethinginhisturn.”
“‘So,then,myprettyRosa,’hesaid,withavoiceassweetahoney,—‘soyouthinkthatbulbtohavebeenapreciousone?’
“IsawthatIhadmadeablunder.
“‘WhatdoIknow?’Isaid,negligently;‘doIunderstandanythingoftulips?Ionlyknow—asunfortunatelyitisourlottolivewithprisoners—thatforthemanypastimeisofvalue.ThispoorMynheervanBaerleamusedhimselfwiththisbulb.Well,Ithinkitverycrueltotakefromhimtheonlythingthathecouldhaveamusedhimselfwith.
