Черный тюльпан
The Two Brothers
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“Yes,yes!”criedahundredvoices;thedinofwhichwasimmediatelyswelledbyfivehundredothers;“letusmarchtotheTown-hall;letusgoandseethedeputies!Comealong!comealong!”
“That’sit,”Tillymutteredbetweenhisteeth,ashesawthemostviolentamongthecrowdturningaway;“goandaskforameannessattheTown-hall,andyouwillseewhethertheywillgrantit;go,myfinefellows,go!”
Theworthyofficerreliedonthehonourofthemagistrates,who,ontheirside,reliedonhishonourasasoldier.
“Isay,Captain,”thefirstlieutenantwhisperedintotheearoftheCount,“Ihopethedeputieswillgivethesemadmenaflatrefusal;but,afterall,itwoulddonoharmiftheywouldsendussomereinforcement.”
Inthemeanwhile,JohndeWitt,whomweleftclimbingthestairs,aftertheconversationwiththejailerGryphusandhisdaughterRosa,hadreachedthedoorofthecell,whereonamattresshisbrotherCorneliuswasresting,afterhavingundergonethepreparatorydegreesofthetorture.Thesentenceofbanishmenthavingbeenpronounced,therewasnooccasionforinflictingthetortureextraordinary.
Corneliuswasstretchedonhiscouch,withbrokenwristsandcrushedfingers.Hehadnotconfessedacrimeofwhichhewasnotguilty;andnow,afterthreedaysofagony,heoncemorebreathedfreely,onbeinginformedthatthejudges,fromwhomhehadexpecteddeath,wereonlycondemninghimtoexile.
