Черный тюльпан
The Little Grated Window
“Now,that’sjustit,”hesaid,“peoplealwaysmakeblundersinpolitics.HisHighnesshasgrantedyouyourlife;I’msureIshouldneverhavedoneso.”
“Don’tsayso,”repliedCornelius;“whynot?”
“Becauseyouaretheverymantoconspireagain.Youlearnedpeoplehavedealingswiththedevil.”
“Nonsense,MasterGryphus.AreyoudissatisfiedwiththemannerinwhichIhavesetyourarm,orwiththepricethatIaskedyou?”saidCornelius,laughing.
“Onthecontrary,”growledthejailer,“youhavesetitonlytoowell.Thereissomewitchcraftinthis.Aftersixweeks,Iwasabletouseitasifnothinghadhappened,somuchso,thatthedoctoroftheBuytenhof,whoknowshistradewell,wantedtobreakitagain,tosetitintheregularway,andpromisedmethatIshouldhavemyblessedthreemonthsformymoneybeforeIshouldbeabletomoveit.”
“Andyoudidnotwantthat?”
“Isaid,‘Nay,aslongasIcanmakethesignofthecrosswiththatarm’(GryphuswasaRomanCatholic),‘Ilaughatthedevil.’”
“Butifyoulaughatthedevil,MasterGryphus,yououghtwithsomuchmorereasontolaughatlearnedpeople.”
“Ah,learnedpeople,learnedpeople!Why,Iwouldratherhavetoguardtensoldiersthanonescholar.Thesoldierssmoke,guzzle,andgetdrunk;theyaregentleaslambsifyouonlygivethembrandyorMoselle,butscholars,anddrink,smoke,andfuddle—ah,yes,that’saltogetherdifferent.Theykeepsober,spendnothing,andhavetheirheadsalwayscleartomakeconspiracies.
