Черный тюльпан
The President van Systens
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“Andthetulip,sir?Isitnotinapotofwhiteandblueearthenware,withyellowishflowersinabasketonthreesides?”
“Oh,astothatIamnotquitesure;Ilookedmoreattheflowerthanatthepot.”
“Oh,sir!that’smytulip,whichhasbeenstolenfromme.Icameheretoreclaimitbeforeyouandfromyou.”
“Oh!oh!”saidVanSystens,lookingatRosa.“What!youareheretoclaimthetulipofMasterBoxtel?Well,Imustsay,youarecoolenough.”
“Honouredsir,”alittleputoutbythisapostrophe,“IdonotsaythatIamcomingtoclaimthetulipofMasterBoxtel,buttoreclaimmyown.”
“Yours?”
“Yes,theonewhichIhavemyselfplantedandnursed.”
“Well,then,goandfindoutMasterBoxtel,attheWhiteSwanInn,andyoucanthensettlematterswithhim;asforme,consideringthatthecauseseemstomeasdifficulttojudgeasthatwhichwasbroughtbeforeKingSolomon,andthatIdonotpretendtobeaswiseashewas,Ishallcontentmyselfwithmakingmyreport,establishingtheexistenceoftheblacktulip,andorderingthehundredthousandguilderstobepaidtoitsgrower.Good-bye,mychild.”
“Oh,sir,sir!”saidRosa,imploringly.
“Only,mychild,”continuedVanSystens,“asyouareyoungandpretty,andastheremaybestillsomegoodinyou,I’llgiveyousomegoodadvice.Beprudentinthismatter,forwehaveacourtofjusticeandaprisonhereatHaarlem,and,moreover,weareexceedinglyticklishasfarasthehonourofourtulipsisconcerned.Go,mychild,go,remember,MasterIsaacBoxtelattheWhiteSwanInn
