Черный тюльпан
The Tulip-fancier and his Neighbour
MynheervanBaerlethefatherhadamassedintheIndiantradethreeorfourhundredthousandguilders,whichMynheervanBaerletheson,atthedeathofhisdearandworthyparents,foundstillquitenew,althoughonesetofthemborethedateofcoinageof1640,andtheotherthatof1610,afactwhichprovedthattheywereguildersofVanBaerlethefatherandofVanBaerlethegrandfather;butwewillinformthereaderatoncethatthesethreeorfourhundredthousandguilderswereonlythepocketmoney,orsortofpurse,forCorneliusvanBaerle,theheroofthisstory,ashislandedpropertyintheprovinceyieldedhimanincomeofabouttenthousandguildersayear.
Whentheworthycitizen,thefatherofCornelius,passedfromtimeintoeternity,threemonthsafterhavingburiedhiswife,whoseemedtohavedepartedfirsttosmoothforhimthepathofdeathasshehadsmoothedforhimthepathoflife,hesaidtohisson,asheembracedhimforthelasttime,—
“Eat,drink,andspendyourmoney,ifyouwishtoknowwhatlifereallyis,forastotoilingfrommorntoeveningonawoodenstool,oraleathernchair,inacounting-houseoralaboratory,thatcertainlyisnotliving.Yourtimetodiewillalsocome;andifyouarenotthensofortunateastohaveason,youwillletmynamegrowextinct,andmyguilders,whichnoonehaseverfingeredbutmyfather,myself,andthecoiner,willhavethesurpriseofpassingtoanunknownmaster.
