Черный тюльпан
A Grateful People
TheGrandPensionarybowedbeforethewillofhisfellowcitizens;CorneliusdeWitt,however,wasmoreobstinate,andnotwithstandingallthethreatsofdeathfromtheOrangistrabble,whobesiegedhiminhishouseatDort,hestoutlyrefusedtosigntheactbywhichtheofficeofStadtholderwasrestored.Movedbythetearsandentreatiesofhiswife,heatlastcomplied,onlyaddingtohissignaturethetwolettersV.C.(ViCoactus),notifyingtherebythatheonlyyieldedtoforce.
Itwasarealmiraclethatonthatdayheescapedfromthedoomintendedforhim.
JohndeWittderivednoadvantagefromhisreadycompliancewiththewishesofhisfellowcitizens.Onlyafewdaysafter,anattemptwasmadetostabhim,inwhichhewasseverelyalthoughnotmortallywounded.
ThisbynomeanssuitedtheviewsoftheOrangefaction.Thelifeofthetwobrothersbeingaconstantobstacletotheirplans,theychangedtheirtactics,andtriedtoobtainbycalumnywhattheyhadnotbeenabletoeffectbytheaidoftheponiard.
Howrarelydoesithappenthat,intherightmoment,agreatmanisfoundtoheadtheexecutionofvastandnobledesigns;andforthatreason,whensuchaprovidentialconcurrenceofcircumstancesdoesoccur,historyisprompttorecordthenameofthechosenone,andtoholdhimuptotheadmirationofposterity.ButwhenSataninterposesinhumanaffairstocastashadowuponsomehappyexistence,ortooverthrowakingdom,itseldomhappensthathedoesnotfindathissidesomemiserabletool,inwhoseearhehasbuttowhisperawordtosethimatonceabouthistask.
