Черный тюльпан
The Tulip-fancier and his Neighbour
Craeke,standingonthedeckoftheboat,saw,acrossthemovingsailsofthewindmills,ontheslopeofthehill,theredandpinkhousewhichwasthegoalofhiserrand.Theoutlinesofitsroofweremergingintheyellowfoliageofacurtainofpoplartrees,thewholehabitationhavingforbackgroundadarkgroveofgiganticelms.Themansionwassituatedinsuchawaythatthesun,fallingonitasintoafunnel,driedup,warmed,andfertilisedthemistwhichtheverdantscreencouldnotpreventtheriverwindfromcarryingthereeverymorningandevening.
Havingdisembarkedunobservedamidtheusualbustleofthecity,Craekeatoncedirectedhisstepstowardsthehousewhichwehavejustdescribed,andwhich—white,trim,andtidy,evenmorecleanlyscouredandmorecarefullywaxedinthehiddencornersthanintheplaceswhichwereexposedtoview—enclosedatrulyhappymortal.
Thishappymortal,raraavis,wasDr.vanBaerle,thegodsonofCorneliusdeWitt.Hehadinhabitedthesamehouseeversincehischildhood,foritwasthehouseinwhichhisfatherandgrandfather,oldestablishedprincelymerchantsoftheprincelycityofDort,wereborn.
