Черный тюльпан
A Grateful People
ThewretchedtoolwhowasathandtobetheagentofthisdastardlyplotwasoneTyckelaerwhomwehavealreadymentioned,asurgeonbyprofession.
HelodgedaninformationagainstCorneliusdeWitt,settingforththatthewarden—who,ashehadshownbythelettersaddedtohissignature,wasfumingattherepealofthePerpetualEdict—had,fromhatredagainstWilliamofOrange,hiredanassassintodeliverthenewRepublicofitsnewStadtholder;andhe,Tyckelaerwasthepersonthuschosen;butthat,horrifiedatthebareideaoftheactwhichhewasaskedtoperpetrate,hehadpreferredrathertorevealthecrimethantocommitit.
Thisdisclosurewas,indeed,wellcalculatedtocallforthafuriousoutbreakamongtheOrangefaction.TheAttorneyGeneralcaused,onthe16thofAugust,1672,CorneliusdeWitttobearrested;andthenoblebrotherofJohndeWitthad,likethevilestcriminal,toundergo,inoneoftheapartmentsofthetownprison,thepreparatorydegreesoftorture,bymeansofwhichhisjudgesexpectedtoforcefromhimtheconfessionofhisallegedplotagainstWilliamofOrange.
ButCorneliuswasnotonlypossessedofagreatmind,butalsoofagreatheart.Hebelongedtothatraceofmartyrswho,indissolublyweddedtotheirpoliticalconvictionsastheirancestorsweretotheirfaith,areabletosmileonpain:whilebeingstretchedontherack,herecitedwithafirmvoice,andscanningthelinesaccordingtomeasure,thefirststropheofthe“Justumactenacem”ofHorace,and,makingnoconfession,tirednotonlythestrength,buteventhefanaticism,ofhisexecutioners.
