太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the black tulip(黑郁金香) >

第4节

the black tulip(黑郁金香)-第4节

小说: the black tulip(黑郁金香) 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



said the Grand Pensionary; with gloomy bitterness。 〃I have 
made my way through all sorts of bystreets and alleys。〃 

〃You hid yourself; John?〃 

〃I wished to reach you without loss of time; and I did what 
people will do in politics; or on the sea when the wind is 
against them;  I tacked。〃 

At this moment the noise in the square below was heard to 
roar with increasing fury。 Tilly was parleying with the 
burghers。 

〃Well; well;〃 said Cornelius; 〃you are a very skilful pilot; 
John; but I doubt whether you will as safely guide your 
brother out of the Buytenhof in the midst of this gale; and 
through the raging surf of popular hatred; as you did the 
fleet of Van Tromp past the shoals of the Scheldt to 
Antwerp。〃 

〃With the help of God; Cornelius; we'll at least try;〃 
answered John; 〃but; first of all; a word with you。〃 

〃Speak!〃 

The shouts began anew。 

〃Hark; hark!〃 continued Cornelius; 〃how angry those people 
are! Is it against you; or against me?〃 

〃I should say it is against us both; Cornelius。 I told you; 
my dear brother; that the Orange party; while assailing us 
with their absurd calumnies; have also made it a reproach 
against us that we have negotiated with France。〃 

〃What blockheads they are!〃 

〃But; indeed; they reproach us with it。〃 

〃And yet; if these negotiations had been successful; they 
would have prevented the defeats of Rees; Orsay; Wesel; and 
Rheinberg; the Rhine would not have been crossed; and 
Holland might still consider herself invincible in the midst 
of her marshes and canals。〃 

〃All this is quite true; my dear Cornelius; but still more 
certain it is; that if at this moment our correspondence 
with the Marquis de Louvois were discovered; skilful pilot 
as I am; I should not be able to save the frail barque which 
is to carry the brothers De Witt and their fortunes out of 
Holland。 That correspondence; which might prove to honest 
people how dearly I love my country; and what sacrifices I 
have offered to make for its liberty and glory; would be 
ruin to us if it fell into the hands of the Orange party。 I 
hope you have burned the letters before you left Dort to 
join me at the Hague。〃 

〃My dear brother;〃 Cornelius answered; 〃your correspondence 
with M。 de Louvois affords ample proof of your having been 
of late the greatest; most generous; and most able citizen 
of the Seven United Provinces。 I rejoice in the glory of my 
country; and particularly do I rejoice in your glory; John。 
I have taken good care not to burn that correspondence。〃 

〃Then we are lost; as far as this life is concerned;〃 
quietly said the Grand Pensionary; approaching the window。 

〃No; on the contrary; John; we shall at the same time save 
our lives and regain our popularity。〃 

〃But what have you done with these letters?〃 

〃I have intrusted them to the care of Cornelius van Baerle; 
my godson; whom you know; and who lives at Dort。〃 

〃Poor honest Van Baerle! who knows so much; and yet thinks 
of nothing but of flowers and of God who made them。 You have 
intrusted him with this fatal secret; it will be his ruin; 
poor soul!〃 

〃His ruin?〃 

〃Yes; for he will either be strong or he will be weak。 If he 
is strong; he will; when he hears of what has happened to 
us; boast of our acquaintance; if he is weak; he will be 
afraid on account of his connection with us: if he is 
strong; he will betray the secret by his boldness; if he is 
weak; he will allow it to be forced from him。 In either case 
he is lost; and so are we。 Let us; therefore; fly; fly; as 
long as there is still time。〃 

Cornelius de Witt; raising himself on his couch; and 
grasping the hand of his brother; who shuddered at the touch 
of his linen bandages; replied;  

〃Do not I know my godson? have not I been enabled to read 
every thought in Van Baerle's mind; and every sentiment in 
his heart? You ask whether he is strong or weak。 He is 
neither the one nor the other; but that is not now the 
question。 The principal point is; that he is sure not to 
divulge the secret; for the very good reason that he does 
not know it himself。〃 

John turned round in surprise。 

〃You must know; my dear brother; that I have been trained in 
the school of that distinguished politician John de Witt; 
and I repeat to you; that Van Baerle is not aware of the 
nature and importance of the deposit which I have intrusted 
to him。〃 

〃Quick then;〃 cried John; 〃as there is still time; let us 
convey to him directions to burn the parcel。〃 

〃Through whom?〃 

〃Through my servant Craeke; who was to have accompanied us 
on horseback; and who has entered the prison with me; to 
assist you downstairs。〃 

〃Consider well before having those precious documents burnt; 
John!〃 

〃I consider; above all things; that the brothers De Witt 
must necessarily save their lives; to be able to save their 
character。 If we are dead; who will defend us? Who will have 
fully understood our intentions?〃 

〃You expect; then; that they would kill us if those papers 
were found?〃 

John; without answering; pointed with his hand to the 
square; whence; at that very moment; fierce shouts and 
savage yells made themselves heard。 

〃Yes; yes;〃 said Cornelius; 〃I hear these shouts very 
plainly; but what is their meaning?〃 

John opened the window。 

〃Death to the traitors!〃 howled the populace。 

〃Do you hear now; Cornelius?〃 

〃To the traitors! that means us!〃 said the prisoner; raising 
his eyes to heaven and shrugging his shoulders。 

〃Yes; it means us;〃 repeated John。 

〃Where is Craeke?〃 

〃At the door of your cell; I suppose。〃 

〃Let him enter then。〃 

John opened the door; the faithful servant was waiting on 
the threshold。 

〃Come in; Craeke; and mind well what my brother will tell 
you。〃 

〃No; John; it will not suffice to send a verbal message; 
unfortunately; I shall be obliged to write。〃 

〃And why that?〃 

〃Because Van Baerle will neither give up the parcel nor burn 
it without a special command to do so。〃 

〃But will you be able to write; poor old fellow?〃 John 
asked; with a look on the scorched and bruised hands of the 
unfortunate sufferer。 

〃If I had pen and ink you would soon see;〃 said Cornelius。 

〃Here is a pencil; at any rate。〃 

〃Have you any paper? for they have left me nothing。〃 

〃Here; take this Bible; and tear out the fly…leaf。〃 

〃Very well; that will do。〃 

〃But your writing will be illegible。〃 

〃Just leave me alone for that;〃 said Cornelius。 〃The 
executioners have indeed pinched me badly enough; but my 
hand will not tremble once in tracing the few lines which 
are requisite。〃 

And really Cornelius took the pencil and began to write; 
when through the white linen bandages drops of blood oozed 
out which the pressure of the fingers against the pencil 
squeezed from the raw flesh。 

A cold sweat stood on the brow of the Grand Pensionary。 

Cornelius wrote:  

〃My dear Godson;  

〃Burn the parcel which I have intrusted to you。 Burn it 
without looking at it; and without opening it; so that its 
contents may for ever remain unknown to yourself。 Secrets of 
this description are death to those with whom they are 
deposited。 Burn it; and you will have saved John and 
Cornelius de Witt。 

〃Farewell; and love me。 

〃Cornelius de Witt 

〃August 20th; 1672。〃 

John; with tears in his eyes; wiped off a drop of the noble 
blood which had soiled the leaf; and; after having handed 
the despatch to Craeke with a last direction; returned to 
Cornelius; who seemed overcome by intense pain; and near 
fainting。 

〃Now;〃 said he; 〃when honest Craeke sounds his coxswain's 
whistle; it will be a signal of his being clear of the 
crowd; and of his having reached the other side of the pond。 
And then it will be our turn to depart。〃 

Five minutes had not elapsed; before a long and shrill 
whistle was heard through the din and noise of the square of 
the Buytenhof。 

John gratefully raised his eyes to heaven。 

〃And now;〃 said he; 〃let us off; Cornelius。〃 




Chapter 3

The Pupil of John de Witt


Whilst the clamour of the crowd in the square of Buytenhof; 
which grew more and more menacing against the two brothers; 
determined John de Witt to hasten the departure of his 
brother Cornelius; a deputation of burghers had gone to the 
Town…hall to demand the withdrawal of Tilly's horse。 

It was not far from the Buytenhof to Hoogstraet (High 
Street); and a stranger; who since the beginning of this 
scene had watched all its incidents with intense interest; 
was seen to wend his way with; or rather in the wake of; the 
others towards the Town…hall; to hear as soon as possible 
the current news of the hour。 

This stranger was a very young man; of scarcely twenty…two 
or three; with nothing about him that bespoke any great 
energy。 He evidently had his good reasons for not making 
himself known; as he hid his face in a handkerchief of fine 
Frisian linen; with which he incessantly wiped his brow or 
his burning lips。 

With an eye keen as that of a bird of prey;  with a long 
aquiline nose; a finely cut mouth; which he generally kept 
open; or rath

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 0

你可能喜欢的