Черный тюльпан
Haarlem
Asifyourtruepolitician’shatwerenotabushelunderwhichhealwayshideshislight!
Atlengththegreatandlong-expectedday—May15,1673—arrived;andallHaarlem,swelledbyherneighbours,wasgatheredinthebeautifultree-linedstreets,determinedonthisoccasionnottowasteitsapplauseuponmilitaryheroes,orthosewhohadwonnotablevictoriesinthefieldofscience,buttoreservetheirapplauseforthosewhohadovercomeNature,andhadforcedtheinexhaustiblemothertobedeliveredofwhathadtheretoforebeenregardedasimpossible,—acompletelyblacktulip.
Nothinghowever,ismoreficklethansucharesolutionofthepeople.Whenacrowdisonceinthehumourtocheer,itisjustthesameaswhenitbeginstohiss.Itneverknowswhentostop.
Ittherefore,inthefirstplace,cheeredVanSystensandhisnosegay,thenthecorporation,thenfollowedacheerforthepeople;and,atlast,andforoncewithgreatjustice,therewasonefortheexcellentmusicwithwhichthegentlemenofthetowncouncilsgenerouslytreatedtheassemblageateveryhalt.
Everyeyewaslookingeagerlyfortheheroineofthefestival,—thatistosay,theblacktulip,—andforitsherointhepersonoftheonewhohadgrownit.
IncasethisheroshouldmakehisappearanceaftertheaddresswehaveseenworthyVanSystensatworkonsoconscientiously,hewouldnotfailtomakeasmuchofasensationastheStadtholderhimself.
