Черный тюльпан
The Two Brothers
”
“Butwillyoubeabletowrite,pooroldfellow?”Johnasked,withalookonthescorchedandbruisedhandsoftheunfortunatesufferer.
“IfIhadpenandinkyouwouldsoonsee,”saidCornelius.
“Hereisapencil,atanyrate.”
“Haveyouanypaper?fortheyhaveleftmenothing.”
“Here,takethisBible,andtearoutthefly-leaf.”
“Verywell,thatwilldo.”
“Butyourwritingwillbeillegible.”
“Justleavemealoneforthat,”saidCornelius.“Theexecutionershaveindeedpinchedmebadlyenough,butmyhandwillnottrembleonceintracingthefewlineswhicharerequisite.”
AndreallyCorneliustookthepencilandbegantowrite,whenthroughthewhitelinenbandagesdropsofbloodoozedoutwhichthepressureofthefingersagainstthepencilsqueezedfromtherawflesh.
AcoldsweatstoodonthebrowoftheGrandPensionary.
Corneliuswrote:—
“MydearGodson,—
“BurntheparcelwhichIhaveintrustedtoyou.Burnitwithoutlookingatit,andwithoutopeningit,sothatitscontentsmayforeverremainunknowntoyourself.Secretsofthisdescriptionaredeathtothosewithwhomtheyaredeposited.Burnit,andyouwillhavesavedJohnandCorneliusdeWitt.
“Farewell,andloveme.
“CorneliusdeWitt
“August20th,1672.”
John,withtearsinhiseyes,wipedoffadropofthenoblebloodwhichhadsoiledtheleaf,and,afterhavinghandedthedespatchtoCraekewithalastdirection,returnedtoCornelius,whoseemedovercomebyintensepain,andnearfainting
