Черный тюльпан
The Hatred of a Tulip-fancier
Oneeveninghetiedtwocatstogetherbytheirhindlegswithastringaboutsixfeetinlength,andthrewthemfromthewallintothemidstofthatnoble,thatprincely,thatroyalbed,whichcontainednotonlythe“CorneliusdeWitt,”butalsothe“BeautyofBrabant,”milk-white,edgedwithpurpleandpink,the“MarbleofRotterdam,”colourofflax,blossomsfeatheredredandfleshcolour,the“WonderofHaarlem,”the“Colombinobscur,”andthe“Columbinclairterni.”
Thefrightenedcats,havingalightedontheground,firsttriedtoflyeachinadifferentdirection,untilthestringbywhichtheyweretiedtogetherwastightlystretchedacrossthebed;then,however,feelingthattheywerenotabletogetoff,theybegantopulltoandfro,andtowheelaboutwithhideouscaterwaulings,mowingdownwiththeirstringtheflowersamongwhichtheywerestruggling,until,afterafuriousstrifeofaboutaquarterofanhour,thestringbrokeandthecombatantsvanished.
Boxtel,hiddenbehindhissycamore,couldnotseeanything,asitwaspitch-dark;butthepiercingcriesofthecatstoldthewholetale,andhisheartoverflowingwithgallnowthrobbedwithtriumphantjoy.
Boxtelwassoeagertoascertaintheextentoftheinjury,thatheremainedathispostuntilmorningtofeasthiseyesonthesadstateinwhichthetwocatshadlefttheflower-bedsofhisneighbour.Themistsofthemorningchilledhisframe,buthedidnotfeelthecold,thehopeofrevengekeepinghisbloodatfeverheat.Thechagrinofhisrivalwastopayforalltheinconveniencewhichheincurredhimself.
