Черный тюльпан
The Third Bulb
”
“Well,sir,hewasignorantofthiscorrespondencebeingdepositedwithhim;completelyignorant.Iamascertainasofmylife,that,ifitwerenotso,hewouldhavetoldme;forhowcouldthatpuremindhaveharbouredasecretwithoutrevealingittome?No,no,yourHighness,Irepeatit,andevenattheriskofincurringyourdispleasure,Corneliusisnomoreguiltyofthefirstcrimethanofthesecond;andofthesecondnomorethanofthefirst.Oh,wouldtoHeaventhatyouknewmyCornelius;Monseigneur!”
“HeisaDeWitt!”criedBoxtel.“HisHighnessknowsonlytoomuchofhim,havingoncegrantedhimhislife.”
“Silence!”saidthePrince;“alltheseaffairsofstate,asIhavealreadysaid,arecompletelyoutoftheprovinceoftheHorticulturalSocietyofHaarlem.”
Then,knittinghisbrow,headded,—
“Astothetulip,makeyourselfeasy,MasterBoxtel,youshallhavejusticedonetoyou.”
Boxtelbowedwithaheartfullofjoy,andreceivedthecongratulationsofthePresident.
“You,mychild,”WilliamofOrangecontinued,“youweregoingtocommitacrime.Iwillnotpunishyou;buttherealevil-doershallpaythepenaltyforboth.Amanofhisnamemaybeaconspirator,andevenatraitor,butheoughtnottobeathief.”
“Athief!”criedRosa.“Corneliusathief?Pray,yourHighness,donotsaysuchaword,itwouldkillhim,ifheknewit.Ifthefttherehasbeen,Isweartoyou,Sir,nooneelsebutthismanhascommittedit.”
“Proveit,”Boxtelcoollyremarked.
“Ishallproveit.WithGod’shelpIshall.
