Черный тюльпан
The Pupil of John de Witt
Thelattergentlemannowmadehisappearanceonthebalcony,wherehewassalutedwithshoutsevenmoreenergeticthanthosewithwhich,tenminutesbefore,hiscolleaguehadbeenreceived.
Thisdidnotpreventhimfromundertakingthedifficulttaskofharanguingthemob;butthemobpreferredforcingtheguardoftheStates—which,however,offerednoresistancetothesovereignpeople—tolisteningtothespeechofMynheerd’Asperen.
“Now,then,”theyoungmancoollyremarked,whilstthecrowdwasrushingintotheprincipalgateoftheTown-hall,“itseemsthequestionwillbediscussedindoors,Captain.Comealong,andletushearthedebate.”
“Oh,Monseigneur!Monseigneur!takecare!”
“Ofwhat?”
“Amongthesedeputiestherearemanywhohavehaddealingswithyou,anditwouldbesufficient,thatoneofthemshouldrecognizeyourHighness.”
“Yes,thatImightbechargedwithhavingbeentheinstigatorofallthiswork,indeed,youareright,”saidtheyoungman,blushingforamomentfromregretofhavingbetrayedsomucheagerness.“Fromthisplaceweshallseethemreturnwithorwithouttheorderforthewithdrawalofthedragoons,thenwemayjudgewhichisgreater,MynheerBowelt’shonestyorhiscourage.”
“But,”repliedtheofficer,lookingwithastonishmentatthepersonagewhomheaddressedasMonseigneur,“butyourHighnesssurelydoesnotsupposeforoneinstantthatthedeputieswillorderTilly’shorsetoquittheirpost?”
“Whynot?”theyoungmanquietlyretorted.
“BecausedoingsowouldsimplybesigningthedeathwarrantofCorneliusandJohndeWitt.
