Черный тюльпан
A Grateful People
Thisdaringmiscreantdetailed,withalltheembellishmentsandflourishessuggestedbyhisbasemindandhisruffianlyimagination,theattemptswhichhepretendedCorneliusdeWitthadmadetocorrupthim;thesumsofmoneywhichwerepromised,andallthediabolicalstratagemsplannedbeforehandtosmoothforhim,Tyckelaer,allthedifficultiesinthepathofmurder.
Andeveryphaseofhisspeech,eagerlylistenedtobythepopulace,calledforthenthusiasticcheersforthePrinceofOrange,andgroansandimprecationsofblindfuryagainstthebrothersDeWitt.
Themobevenbegantoventitsragebyinveighingagainsttheiniquitousjudges,whohadallowedsuchadetestablecriminalasthevillainCorneliustogetoffsocheaply.
Someoftheagitatorswhispered,“Hewillbeoff,hewillescapefromus!”
Othersreplied,“AvesseliswaitingforhimatSchevening,aFrenchcraft.Tyckelaerhasseenher.”
“HonestTyckelaer!HurrahforTyckelaer!”themobcriedinchorus.
“Andletusnotforget,”avoiceexclaimedfromthecrowd,“thatatthesametimewithCorneliushisbrotherJohn,whoisasrascallyatraitorashimself,willlikewisemakehisescape.”
“AndthetworogueswillinFrancemakemerrywithourmoney,withthemoneyforourvessels,ourarsenals,andourdockyards,whichtheyhavesoldtoLouisXIV.”
“Well,then,don’tletusallowthemtodepart!”advisedoneofthepatriotswhohadgainedthestartoftheothers.
“Forwardtotheprison,totheprison!”echoedthecrowd.