Черный тюльпан
The Murderers
”
“Whathasbecomeofit?”
“Well,theyhavetakenitfromme.”
“Who?”
“Someone,Idaresay,whohadamindthatnooneshouldleavethetown.”
“Mygoodman,”saidtheGrandPensionary,puttingouthisheadfromthewindow,andriskingallforgainingall;“mygoodman,itisforme,JohndeWitt,andformybrotherCornelius,whoIamtakingawayintoexile.”
“Oh,MynheerdeWitt!Iamindeedverymuchgrieved,”saidthegatekeeper,rushingtowardsthecarriage;“but,uponmysacredword,thekeyhasbeentakenfromme.”
“When?”
“Thismorning.”
“Bywhom?”
“Byapaleandthinyoungman,ofabouttwenty-two.”
“Andwhereforedidyougiveituptohim?”
“Becauseheshowedmeanorder,signedandsealed.”
“Bywhom?”
“BythegentlemenoftheTown-hall.”
“Well,then,”saidCorneliuscalmly,“ourdoomseemstobefixed.”
“Doyouknowwhetherthesameprecautionhasbeentakenattheothergates?”
“Idonot.”
“Nowthen,”saidJohntothecoachman,“Godcommandsmantodoallthatisinhispowertopreservehislife;go,anddrivetoanothergate.”
AndwhilsttheservantwasturningroundthevehicletheGrandPensionarysaidtothegatekeeper,—
“Takeourthanksforyourgoodintentions;thewillmustcountforthedeed;youhadthewilltosaveus,andthat,intheeyesoftheLord,isasifyouhadsucceededindoingso.”
“Alas!”saidthegatekeeper,“doyouseedownthere?”
“Driveatagallopthroughthatgroup,”Johncalledouttothecoachman,“andtakethestreetontheleft;itisouronlychance.
