Черный тюльпан
The Pupil of John de Witt
”
Then,lookingwithasteadyglanceafterthecrowdwhichwasrushingalongbeforehim,hecontinued,—
“LetusnowgototheBuytenhof,Captain;Iexpectweshallseeaverystrangesightthere.”
Theofficerbowed,and,withoutmakinganyreply,followedinthestepsofhismaster.
Therewasanimmensecrowdinthesquareandabouttheneighbourhoodoftheprison.ButthedragoonsofTillystillkeptitincheckwiththesamesuccessandwiththesamefirmness.
ItwasnotlongbeforetheCountheardtheincreasingdinoftheapproachingmultitude,thefirstranksofwhichrushedonwiththerapidityofacataract.
Atthesametimeheobservedthepaper,whichwaswavingabovethesurfaceofclenchedfistsandglitteringarms.
“Halloa!”hesaid,risinginhisstirrups,andtouchinghislieutenantwiththeknobofhissword;“Ireallybelievethoserascalshavegottheorder.”
“Dastardlyruffianstheyare,”criedthelieutenant.
Itwasindeedtheorder,whichtheburgherguardreceivedwitharoaroftriumph.Theyimmediatelysalliedforth,withloweredarmsandfierceshouts,tomeetCountTilly’sdragoons.
ButtheCountwasnotthemantoallowthemtoapproachwithinaninconvenientdistance.
“Stop!”hecried,“stop,andkeepofffrommyhorse,orIshallgivethewordofcommandtoadvance.”
“Hereistheorder!”ahundredinsolentvoicesansweredatonce.
Hetookitinamazement,castarapidglanceonit,andsaidquitealoud,—
“ThosewhohavesignedthisorderaretherealmurderersofCorneliusdeWitt.
