Черный тюльпан
The Hatred of a Tulip-fancier
VanBaerle,assoonastheideahadoncetakenrootinhisclearandingeniousmind,beganslowlythenecessaryplantingandcross-breedingtoreducethetulipswhichhehadgrownalreadyfromredtobrown,andfrombrowntodarkbrown.
Bythenextyearhehadobtainedflowersofaperfectnut-brown,andBoxtelespiedthemintheborder,whereashehadhimselfasyetonlysucceededinproducingthelightbrown.
Itmightperhapsbeinterestingtoexplaintothegentlereaderthebeautifulchainoftheorieswhichgotoprovethatthetulipborrowsitscolorsfromtheelements;perhapsweshouldgivehimpleasureifweweretomaintainandestablishthatnothingisimpossibleforafloristwhoavailshimselfwithjudgmentanddiscretionandpatienceofthesun’sheat,theclearwater,thejuicesoftheearth,andthecoolbreezes.Butthisisnotatreatiseupontulipsingeneral;itisthestoryofoneparticulartulipwhichwehaveundertakentowrite,andtothatwelimitourselves,howeveralluringthesubjectwhichissocloselyalliedtoours.
Boxtel,oncemoreworstedbythesuperiorityofhishatedrival,wasnowcompletelydisgustedwithtulip-growing,and,beingdrivenhalfmad,devotedhimselfentirelytoobservation.
Thehouseofhisrivalwasquiteopentoview;agardenexposedtothesun;cabinetswithglasswalls,shelves,cupboards,boxes,andticketedpigeon-holes,whichcouldeasilybesurveyedbythetelescope.
