Черный тюльпан
A Grateful People
“Hasnot,”theywouldsay,“thisCorneliusdeWittbeenlockedupandbrokenbytherack?Shallwenotseehimpale,streamingwithblood,coveredwithshame?”AndwasnotthisasweettriumphfortheburghersoftheHague,whoseenvyevenbeatthatofthecommonrabble;atriumphinwhicheveryhonestcitizenandtownsmanmightbeexpectedtoshare?
“Moreover,”hintedtheOrangeagitatorsinterspersedthroughthecrowd,whomtheyhopedtomanagelikeasharp-edgedandatthesametimecrushinginstrument,—“moreover,willtherenot,fromtheBuytenhoftothegateofthetown,anicelittleopportunitypresentitselftothrowsomehandfulsofdirt,orafewstones,atthisCorneliusdeWitt,whonotonlyconferredthedignityofStadtholderonthePrinceofOrangemerelyvicoactus,butwhoalsointendedtohavehimassassinated?”
“Besideswhich,”thefierceenemiesofFrancechimedin,“iftheworkweredonewellandbravelyattheHague,Corneliuswouldcertainlynotbeallowedtogointoexile,wherehewillrenewhisintrigueswithFrance,andlivewithhisbigscoundrelofabrother,John,onthegoldoftheMarquisdeLouvois.”
Beinginsuchatemper,peoplegenerallywillrunratherthanwalk;whichwasthereasonwhytheinhabitantsoftheHaguewerehurryingsofasttowardstheBuytenhof.
HonestTyckelaer,withaheartfullofspiteandmalice,andwithnoparticularplansettledinhismind,wasoneoftheforemost,beingparadedaboutbytheOrangepartylikeaheroofprobity,nationalhonour,andChristiancharity.
