the black tulip- 第7部分

〃No；　I　haven't。〃　



〃What　has　become　of　it？〃　



〃Well；　they　have　taken　it　from　me。〃　



〃Who？〃　



〃Some　one；　I　dare　say；　who　had　a　mind　that　no　one　should　

leave　the　town。〃　



〃My　good　man；〃　said　the　Grand　Pensionary；　putting　out　his　

head　from　the　window；　and　risking　all　for　gaining　all；　〃my　

good　man；　it　is　for　me；　John　de　Witt；　and　for　my　brother　

Cornelius；　who　I　am　taking　away　into　exile。〃　



〃Oh；　Mynheer　de　Witt！　I　am　indeed　very　much　grieved；〃　said　

the　gatekeeper；　rushing　towards　the　carriage；　〃but；　upon　my　

sacred　word；　the　key　has　been　taken　from　me。〃　



〃When？〃　



〃This　morning。〃　



〃By　whom？〃　



〃By　a　pale　and　thin　young　man；　of　about　twenty…two。〃　



〃And　wherefore　did　you　give　it　up　to　him？〃　



〃Because　he　showed　me　an　order；　signed　and　sealed。〃　



〃By　whom？〃　



〃By　the　gentlemen　of　the　Town…hall。〃　



〃Well；　then；〃　said　Cornelius　calmly；　〃our　doom　seems　to　be　

fixed。〃　



〃Do　you　know　whether　the　same　precaution　has　been　taken　at　

the　other　gates？〃　



〃I　do　not。〃　



〃Now　then；〃　said　John　to　the　coachman；　〃God　commands　man　to　

do　all　that　is　in　his　power　to　preserve　his　life；　go；　and　

drive　to　another　gate。〃　



And　whilst　the　servant　was　turning　round　the　vehicle　the　

Grand　Pensionary　said　to　the　gatekeeper；　　



〃Take　our　thanks　for　your　good　intentions；　the　will　must　

count　for　the　deed；　you　had　the　will　to　save　us；　and　that；　

in　the　eyes　of　the　Lord；　is　as　if　you　had　succeeded　in　doing　

so。〃　



〃Alas！〃　said　the　gatekeeper；　〃do　you　see　down　there？〃　



〃Drive　at　a　gallop　through　that　group；〃　John　called　out　to　

the　coachman；　〃and　take　the　street　on　the　left；　it　is　our　

only　chance。〃　



The　group　which　John　alluded　to　had；　for　its　nucleus；　those　

three　men　whom　we　left　looking　after　the　carriage；　and　who；　

in　the　meanwhile；　had　been　joined　by　seven　or　eight　others。　



These　new…comers　evidently　meant　mischief　with　regard　to　the　

carriage。　



When　they　saw　the　horses　galloping　down　upon　them；　they　

placed　themselves　across　the　street；　brandishing　cudgels　in　

their　hands；　and　calling　out；　　



〃Stop！　stop！〃　



The　coachman；　on　his　side；　lashed　his　horses　into　increased　

speed；　until　the　coach　and　the　men　encountered。　



The　brothers　De　Witt；　enclosed　within　the　body　of　the　

carriage；　were　not　able　to　see　anything；　but　they　felt　a　

severe　shock；　occasioned　by　the　rearing　of　the　horses。　The　

whole　vehicle　for　a　moment　shook　and　stopped；　but　

immediately　after；　passing　over　something　round　and　elastic；　

which　seemed　to　be　the　body　of　a　prostrate　man　set　off　again　

amidst　a　volley　of　the　fiercest　oaths。　



〃Alas！〃　said　Cornelius；　〃I　am　afraid　we　have　hurt　some　one。〃　



〃Gallop！　gallop！〃　called　John。　



But；　notwithstanding　this　order；　the　coachman　suddenly　came　

to　a　stop。　



〃Now；　then；　what　is　the　matter　again？〃　asked　John。　



〃Look　there！〃　said　the　coachman。　



John　looked。　The　whole　mass　of　the　populace　from　the　

Buytenhof　appeared　at　the　extremity　of　the　street　along　

which　the　carriage　was　to　proceed；　and　its　stream　moved　

roaring　and　rapid；　as　if　lashed　on　by　a　hurricane。　



〃Stop　and　get　off；〃　said　John　to　the　coachman；　〃it　is　

useless　to　go　any　farther；　we　are　lost！〃　



〃Here　they　are！　here　they　are！〃　five　hundred　voices　were　

crying　at　the　same　time。　



〃Yes；　here　they　are；　the　traitors；　the　murderers；　the　

assassins！〃　answered　the　men　who　were　running　after　the　

carriage　to　the　people　who　were　coming　to　meet　it。　The　

former　carried　in　their　arms　the　bruised　body　of　one　of　

their　companions；　who；　trying　to　seize　the　reins　of　the　

horses；　had　been　trodden　down　by　them。　



This　was　the　object　over　which　the　two　brothers　had　felt　

their　carriage　pass。　



The　coachman　stopped；　but；　however　strongly　his　master　urged　

him；　he　refused　to　get　off　and　save　himself。　



In　an　instant　the　carriage　was　hemmed　in　between　those　who　

followed　and　those　who　met　it。　It　rose　above　the　mass　of　

moving　heads　like　a　floating　island。　But　in　another　instant　

it　came　to　a　dead　stop。　A　blacksmith　had　with　his　hammer　

struck　down　one　of　the　horses；　which　fell　in　the　traces。　



At　this　moment；　the　shutter　of　a　window　opened；　and　

disclosed　the　sallow　face　and　the　dark　eyes　of　the　young　

man；　who　with　intense　interest　watched　the　scene　which　was　

preparing。　Behind　him　appeared　the　head　of　the　officer；　

almost　as　pale　as　himself。　



〃Good　heavens；　Monseigneur；　what　is　going　on　there？〃　

whispered　the　officer。　



〃Something　very　terrible；　to　a　certainty；〃　replied　the　

other。　



〃Don't　you　see；　Monseigneur；　they　are　dragging　the　Grand　

Pensionary　from　the　carriage；　they　strike　him；　they　tear　him　

to　pieces！〃　



〃Indeed；　these　people　must　certainly　be　prompted　by　a　most　

violent　indignation；〃　said　the　young　marl；　with　the　same　

impassible　tone　which　he　had　preserved　all　along。　



〃And　here　is　Cornelius；　whom　they　now　likewise　drag　out　of　

the　carriage；　　Cornelius；　who　is　already　quite　broken　and　

mangled　by　the　torture。　Only　look；　look！〃　



〃Indeed；　it　is　Cornelius；　and　no　mistake。〃　



The　officer　uttered　a　feeble　cry；　and　turned　his　head　away；　

the　brother　of　the　Grand　Pensionary；　before　having　set　foot　

on　the　ground；　whilst　still　on　the　bottom　step　of　the　

carriage；　was　struck　down　with　an　iron　bar　which　broke　his　

skull。　He　rose　once　more；　but　immediately　fell　again。　



Some　fellows　then　seized　him　by　the　feet；　and　dragged　him　

into　the　crowd；　into　the　middle　of　which　one　might　have　

followed　his　bloody　track；　and　he　was　soon　closed　in　among　

the　savage　yells　of　malignant　exultation。　



The　young　man　　a　thing　which　would　have　been　thought　

impossible　　grew　even　paler　than　before；　and　his　eyes　were　

for　a　moment　veiled　behind　the　lids。　



The　officer　saw　this　sign　of　compassion；　and；　wishing　to　

avail　himself　of　this　softened　tone　of　his　feelings；　

continued；　　



〃Come；　come；　Monseigneur；　for　here　they　are　also　going　to　

murder　the　Grand　Pensionary。〃　



But　the　young　man　had　already　opened　his　eyes　again。　



〃To　be　sure；〃　he　said。　〃These　people　are　really　implacable。　

It　does　no　one　good　to　offend　them。〃　



〃Monseigneur；〃　said　the　officer；　〃may　not　one　save　this　poor　

man；　who　has　been　your　Highness's　instructor？　If　there　be　

any　means；　name　it；　and　if　I　should　perish　in　the　attempt　

　〃　



William　of　Orange　　for　he　it　was　　knit　his　brows　in　a　

very　forbidding　manner；　restrained　the　glance　of　gloomy　

malice　which　glistened　in　his　half…closed　eye；　and　answered；　

　



〃Captain　Van　Deken；　I　request　you　to　go　and　look　after　my　

troops；　that　they　may　be　armed　for　any　emergency。〃　



〃But　am　I　to　leave　your　Highness　here；　alone；　in　the　

presence　of　all　these　murderers？〃　



〃Go；　and　don't　you　trouble　yourself　about　me　more　than　I　do　

myself；〃　the　Prince　gruffly　replied。　



The　officer　started　off　with　a　speed　which　was　much　less　

owing　to　his　sense　of　military　obedience　than　to　his　

pleasure　at　being　relieved　from　the　necessity　of　witnessing　

the　shocking　spectacle　of　the　murder　of　the　other　brother。　



He　had　scarcely　left　the　room；　when　John　　who；　with　an　

almost　superhuman　effort；　had　reached　the　stone　steps　of　a　

house　nearly　opposite　that　where　his　former　pupil　concealed　

himself　　began　to　stagger　under　the　blows　which　were　

inflicted　on　him　from　all　sides；　calling　out；　　



〃My　brother！　where　is　my　brother？〃　



One　of　the　ruffians　knocked　off　his　hat　with　a　blow　of　his　

clenched　fist。　



Another　showed　to　him　his　bloody　hands；　for　this　fellow　had　

ripped　open　Cornelius　and　disembowelled　him；　and　was　now　

hastening　to　the　spot　in　order　not　to　lose　the　opportunity　

of　serving　the　Grand　Pensionary　in　the　same　manner；　whilst　

they　were　dragging　the　dead　body　of　Cornelius　to　the　gibbet。　



John　uttered　a　cry　of　agony　and　grief；　and　put　one　of　his　

hands　before　his　eyes。　



〃Oh；　you　close　your　eyes；　do　you？〃　said　one　of　the　soldiers　

of　the　burgher　guard；　〃well；　I　shall　open　them　for　you。〃　



And　saying　this　he　stabbed　him　with　his　pike　in　the　face；　

and　the　blood　spurted　forth。　



〃My　brother！〃　cried　John　de　Witt；　trying　to　see　through　the　

stream　of　blood　which　blinded　him；　what　had　become　of　

Cornelius；　〃my　brother；　my　brother！〃　



〃Go　and　run　after　him！〃　bellowed　another　murderer；　putting　

his　musket　to　his　temples　and　pulling　the　trigger。　



But　the　gun　did　not　go　off。　



The　fellow　then　turned　his　musket　round；　and；　taking　it　by　

the　barrel　with　both　hands；　struck　John　de　Witt　down　with　

the　butt…end。　John　staggered　and　fell　down　at　his　feet；　but；　

raising　himself　with　a　last　effort；　he　once　more　called　out；　

　



〃My　brother！〃　with　a　voice　so　full　of　anguish　that　the　young　

man　opposite　closed　the　shutter。　



There　remained　little　more　to　see；　a　third　murderer　fired　a　

pistol　with　the　muzzle　to　his　face；　and　this　time　the　shot　

took　effect；　blowing　out　his　brains。　John　de　Witt　fell　to　

rise　no　more。　



On　this；　every　one　of　the　miscreants；　emboldened　by　his　

fall；　wanted　to　fire　his　gun　at　him；　or　strike　him　with　

blows　of　the　sledge…hammer；　or　stab　him　with　a　knife　or　

swords；　every　one　wanted　to　draw　a　drop　of　blood　from　the　

fallen　hero；　and　tear　off　a　shred　from　his　garments。　



And　after　having　mangled；　and　torn；　and　completely　stripped　

the　two　brothers；　the　mob　dragged　their　naked　and　bloody　

bodies　to　an　extemporised　gibbet；　where　amateur　executioners　

hung　them　up　by　the　feet。　



Then　came　the　most　dastardly　scoundrels　of　all；　who　not　

having　dared　to　strike　the　living　flesh；　cut　the　dead　in　

pieces；　and　then　went　about　the　town　selling　small　slices　of　

the　bodies　of　John　and　Cornelius　at　ten　sous　a　piece。　



We　cannot　take　upon　ourselves　to　say　whether；　through　the　

almost　imperceptible　chink　of　the　shutter；　the　young　man　

witne