Черный тюльпан
The Hatred of a Tulip-fancier
Howoftenhadthemiserable,jealousmantoobserveinVanBaerle’sbedstulipswhichdazzledhimbytheirbeauty,andalmostchokedhimbytheirperfection!
Andthen,afterthefirstblushoftheadmirationwhichhecouldnothelpfeeling,hebegantobetorturedbythepangsofenvy,bythatslowfeverwhichcreepsovertheheartandchangesitintoanestofvipers,eachdevouringtheotherandeverbornanew.HowoftendidBoxtel,inthemidstoftortureswhichnopenisablefullytodescribe,—howoftendidhefeelaninclinationtojumpdownintothegardenduringthenight,todestroytheplants,totearthebulbswithhisteeth,andtosacrificetohiswraththeownerhimself,ifheshouldventuretostandupforthedefenceofhistulips!
Buttokillatulipwasahorriblecrimeintheeyesofagenuinetulip-fancier;astokillingaman,itwouldnothavematteredsoverymuch.
YetVanBaerlemadesuchprogressinthenoblescienceofgrowingtulips,whichheseemedtomasterwiththetrueinstinctofgenius,thatBoxtelatlastwasmaddenedtosuchadegreeastothinkofthrowingstonesandsticksintotheflower-standsofhisneighbour.But,rememberingthathewouldbesuretobefoundout,andthathewouldnotonlybepunishedbylaw,butalsodishonouredforeverinthefaceofallthetulip-growersofEurope,hehadrecoursetostratagem,and,togratifyhishatred,triedtodeviseaplanbymeansofwhichhemightgainhisendswithoutbeingcompromisedhimself.
Heconsideredalongtime,andatlasthismeditationswerecrownedwithsuccess.
