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this perpetual imprisonment； Rosa will be there； and also my
three bulbs of the black tulip are there。〃
But Cornelius forgot that the Seven Provinces had seven
prisons； one for each； and that the board of the prisoner is
anywhere else less expensive than at the Hague； which is a
capital。
His Highness； who； as it seems； did not possess the means to
feed Van Baerle at the Hague； sent him to undergo his
perpetual imprisonment at the fortress of Loewestein； very
near Dort； but； alas！ also very far from it； for Loewestein；
as the geographers tell us； is situated at the point of the
islet which is formed by the confluence of the Waal and the
Meuse； opposite Gorcum。
Van Baerle was sufficiently versed in the history of his
country to know that the celebrated Grotius was confined in
that castle after the death of Barneveldt； and that the
States； in their generosity to the illustrious publicist；
jurist； historian； poet； and divine； had granted to him for
his daily maintenance the sum of twenty…four stivers。
〃I；〃 said Van Baerle to himself； 〃I am worth much less than
Grotius。 They will hardly give me twelve stivers； and I
shall live miserably； but never mind； at all events I shall
live。〃
Then suddenly a terrible thought struck him。
〃Ah！〃 he exclaimed； 〃how damp and misty that part of the
country is； and the soil so bad for the tulips！ And then
Rosa will not be at Loewestein！〃
Chapter 13
What was going on all this Time in the Mind of one of the Spectators
Whilst Cornelius was engaged with his own thoughts； a coach
had driven up to the scaffold。 This vehicle was for the
prisoner。 He was invited to enter it； and he obeyed。
His last look was towards the Buytenhof。 He hoped to see at
the window the face of Rosa； brightening up again。
But the coach was drawn by good horses； who soon carried Van
Baerle away from among the shouts which the rabble roared in
honour of the most magnanimous Stadtholder； mixing with it a
spice of abuse against the brothers De Witt and the godson
of Cornelius； who had just now been saved from death。
This reprieve suggested to the worthy spectators remarks
such as the following：
〃It's very fortunate that we used such speed in having
justice done to that great villain John； and to that little
rogue Cornelius； otherwise his Highness might have snatched
them from us； just as he has done this fellow。〃
Among all the spectators whom Van Baerle's execution had
attracted to the Buytenhof； and whom the sudden turn of
affairs had disagreeably surprised； undoubtedly the one most
disappointed was a certain respectably dressed burgher； who
from early morning had made such a good use of his feet and
elbows that he at last was separated from the scaffold only
by the file of soldiers which surrounded it。
Many had shown themselves eager to see the perfidious blood
of the guilty Cornelius flow； but not one had shown such a
keen anxiety as the individual just alluded to。
The most furious had come to the Buytenhof at daybreak； to
secure a better place； but he； outdoing even them； had
passed the night at the threshold of the prison； from
whence； as we have already said； he had advanced to the very
foremost rank； unguibus et rostro； that is to say；
coaxing some； and kicking the others。
And when the executioner had conducted the prisoner to the
scaffold； the burgher； who had mounted on the stone of the
pump the better to see and be seen； made to the executioner
a sign which meant；
〃It's a bargain； isn't it？〃
The executioner answered by another sign； which was meant to
say；
〃Be quiet； it's all right。〃
This burgher was no other than Mynheer Isaac Boxtel； who
since the arrest of Cornelius had come to the Hague to try
if he could not get hold of the three bulbs of the black
tulip。
Boxtel had at first tried to gain over Gryphus to his
interest； but the jailer had not only the snarling
fierceness； but likewise the fidelity； of a dog。 He had
therefore bristled up at Boxtel's hatred； whom he had
suspected to be a warm friend of the prisoner； making
trifling inquiries to contrive with the more certainty some
means of escape for him。
Thus to the very first proposals which Boxtel made to
Gryphus to filch the bulbs which Cornelius van Baerle must
be supposed to conceal； if not in his breast； at least in
some corner of his cell； the surly jailer had only answered
by kicking Mynheer Isaac out； and setting the dog at him。
The piece which the mastiff had torn from his hose did not
discourage Boxtel。 He came back to the charge； but this time
Gryphus was in bed； feverish； and with a broken arm。 He
therefore was not able to admit the petitioner； who then
addressed himself to Rosa； offering to buy her a head…dress
of pure gold if she would get the bulbs for him。 On this；
the generous girl； although not yet knowing the value of the
object of the robbery； which was to be so well remunerated；
had directed the tempter to the executioner； as the heir of
the prisoner。
In the meanwhile the sentence had been pronounced。 Thus
Isaac had no more time to bribe any one。 He therefore clung
to the idea which Rosa had suggested： he went to the
executioner。
Isaac had not the least doubt that Cornelius would die with
the bulbs on his heart。
But there were two things which Boxtel did not calculate
upon：
Rosa； that is to say； love；
William of Orange； that is to say； clemency。
But for Rosa and William； the calculations of the envious
neighbour would have been correct。
But for William； Cornelius would have died。
But for Rosa； Cornelius would have died with his bulbs on
his heart。
Mynheer Boxtel went to the headsman； to whom he gave himself
out as a great friend of the condemned man； and from whom he
bought all the clothes of the dead man that was to be； for
one hundred guilders； rather an exorbitant sum； as he
engaged to leave all the trinkets of gold and silver to the
executioner。
But what was the sum of a hundred guilders to a man who was
all but sure to buy with it the prize of the Haarlem
Society？
It was money lent at a thousand per cent。； which； as nobody
will deny； was a very handsome investment。
The headsman； on the other hand； had scarcely anything to do
to earn his hundred guilders。 He needed only； as soon as the
execution was over； to allow Mynheer Boxtel to ascend the
scaffold with his servants； to remove the inanimate remains
of his friend。
The thing was； moreover； quite customary among the 〃faithful
brethren；〃 when one of their masters died a public death in
the yard of the Buytenhof。
A fanatic like Cornelius might very easily have found
another fanatic who would give a hundred guilders for his
remains。
The executioner also readily acquiesced in the proposal；
making only one condition； that of being paid in advance。
Boxtel； like the people who enter a show at a fair； might be
disappointed； and refuse to pay on going out。
Boxtel paid in advance； and waited。
After this； the reader may imagine how excited Boxtel was；
with what anxiety he watched the guards； the Recorder； and
the executioner； and with what intense interest he surveyed
the movements of Van Baerle。 How would he place himself on
the block？ how would he fall？ and would he not； in falling；
crush those inestimable bulbs？ had not he at least taken
care to enclose them in a golden box； as gold is the
hardest of all metals？
Every trifling delay irritated him。 Why did that stupid
executioner thus lose time in brandishing his sword over the
head of Cornelius； instead of cutting that head off？
But when he saw the Recorder take the hand of the condemned；
and raise him； whilst drawing forth the parchment from his
pocket； when he heard the pardon of the Stadtholder
publicly read out； then Boxtel was no more like a human
being； the rage and malice of the tiger； of the hyena； and
of the serpent glistened in his eyes； and vented itself in
his yell and his movements。 Had he been able to get at Van
Baerle； he would have pounced upon him and strangled him。
And so； then； Cornelius was to live； and was to go with him
to Loewestein； and thither to his prison he would take with
him his bulbs； and perhaps he would even find a garden where
the black tulip would flower for him。
Boxtel； quite overcome by his frenzy； fell from the stone
upon some Orangemen； who； like him； were sorely vexed at the
turn which affairs had taken。 They； mistaking the frantic
cries of Mynheer Isaac for demonstrations of joy； began to
belabour him with kicks and cuffs； such as could not have
been administered in better style by any prize…fighter on
the other side of the Channel。
Blows were； however； nothing to him。 He wanted to run after
the coach which was carrying away Cornelius with his bulbs。
But in his hurry he overlooked a paving…stone in his way；
stumbled； lost his centre of gravity； rolled over to a
distance of some yards； and only rose again； bruised and
begrimed； after the whole rabble of the Hague； with their
muddy