Черный тюльпан
The Murderers
”
“ButamItoleaveyourHighnesshere,alone,inthepresenceofallthesemurderers?”
“Go,anddon’tyoutroubleyourselfaboutmemorethanIdomyself,”thePrincegrufflyreplied.
Theofficerstartedoffwithaspeedwhichwasmuchlessowingtohissenseofmilitaryobediencethantohispleasureatbeingrelievedfromthenecessityofwitnessingtheshockingspectacleofthemurderoftheotherbrother.
Hehadscarcelylefttheroom,whenJohn—who,withanalmostsuperhumaneffort,hadreachedthestonestepsofahousenearlyoppositethatwherehisformerpupilconcealedhimself—begantostaggerundertheblowswhichwereinflictedonhimfromallsides,callingout,—
“Mybrother!whereismybrother?”
Oneoftheruffiansknockedoffhishatwithablowofhisclenchedfist.
Anothershowedtohimhisbloodyhands;forthisfellowhadrippedopenCorneliusanddisembowelledhim,andwasnowhasteningtothespotinordernottolosetheopportunityofservingtheGrandPensionaryinthesamemanner,whilsttheyweredraggingthedeadbodyofCorneliustothegibbet.
Johnutteredacryofagonyandgrief,andputoneofhishandsbeforehiseyes.
“Oh,youcloseyoureyes,doyou?”saidoneofthesoldiersoftheburgherguard;“well,Ishallopenthemforyou.”
Andsayingthishestabbedhimwithhispikeintheface,andthebloodspurtedforth.
