Черный тюльпан
The Black Tulip changes Masters
“Ah!thisdastardlyfellow,thismonster,thisgallows-birdofaconspirator,isyourowndearCornelius,ishe?Ah!Missyhascommunicationswithprisonersofstate.Ah!won’tIteachyou—won’tI?”
Rosaclaspedherhandsindespair.
“Ah!”Gryphuscontinued,passingfromthemadnessofangertothecoolironyofamanwhohasgotthebetterofhisenemy,—“Ah,youinnocenttulip-fancier,yougentlescholar;youwillkillme,anddrinkmyblood!Verywell!verywell!Andyouhavemydaughterforanaccomplice.AmI,forsooth,inadenofthieves,—inacaveofbrigands?Yes,buttheGovernorshallknowallto-morrow,andhisHighnesstheStadtholderthedayafter.Weknowthelaw,—weshallgiveasecondeditionoftheBuytenhof,MasterScholar,andagoodonethistime.Yes,yes,justgnawyourpawslikeabearinhiscage,andyou,myfinelittlelady,devouryourdearCorneliuswithyoureyes.Itellyou,mylambkins,youshallnotmuchlongerhavethefelicityofconspiringtogether.Awaywithyou,unnaturaldaughter!Andastoyou,MasterScholar,weshallseeeachotheragain.Justbequiet,—weshall.”
Rosa,beyondherselfwithterroranddespair,kissedherhandstoherfriend;then,suddenlystruckwithabrightthought,sherushedtowardthestaircase,saying,—
“Allisnotyetlost,Cornelius.Relyonme,myCornelius.”
Herfatherfollowedher,growling.
AstopoorCornelius,hegraduallyloosenedhisholdofthebars,whichhisfingersstillgraspedconvulsively
