Черный тюльпан
The Two Brothers
”
“Quickthen,”criedJohn,“asthereisstilltime,letusconveytohimdirectionstoburntheparcel.”
“Throughwhom?”
“ThroughmyservantCraeke,whowastohaveaccompaniedusonhorseback,andwhohasenteredtheprisonwithme,toassistyoudownstairs.”
“Considerwellbeforehavingthosepreciousdocumentsburnt,John!”
“Iconsider,aboveallthings,thatthebrothersDeWittmustnecessarilysavetheirlives,tobeabletosavetheircharacter.Ifwearedead,whowilldefendus?Whowillhavefullyunderstoodourintentions?”
“Youexpect,then,thattheywouldkillusifthosepaperswerefound?”
John,withoutanswering,pointedwithhishandtothesquare,whence,atthatverymoment,fierceshoutsandsavageyellsmadethemselvesheard.
“Yes,yes,”saidCornelius,“Iheartheseshoutsveryplainly,butwhatistheirmeaning?”
Johnopenedthewindow.
“Deathtothetraitors!”howledthepopulace.
“Doyouhearnow,Cornelius?”
“Tothetraitors!thatmeansus!”saidtheprisoner,raisinghiseyestoheavenandshrugginghisshoulders.
“Yes,itmeansus,”repeatedJohn.
“WhereisCraeke?”
“Atthedoorofyourcell,Isuppose.”
“Lethimenterthen.”
Johnopenedthedoor;thefaithfulservantwaswaitingonthethreshold.
“Comein,Craeke,andmindwellwhatmybrotherwilltellyou.”
“No,John;itwillnotsufficetosendaverbalmessage;unfortunately,Ishallbeobligedtowrite.”
“Andwhythat?”
“BecauseVanBaerlewillneithergiveuptheparcelnorburnitwithoutaspecialcommandtodoso.
