The night passed away very sweetly for Cornelius, althoughin great agitation1. Every instant he fancied he heard thegentle voice of Rosa calling him. He then started up, wentto the door, and looked through the grating, but no one wasbehind it, and the lobby was empty.
Rosa, no doubt, would be watching too, but, happier than he,she watched over the tulip; she had before her eyes thatnoble flower, that wonder of wonders. which not only wasunknown, but was not even thought possible until then.
What would the world say when it heard that the black tulipwas found, that it existed and that it was the prisoner VanBaerle who had found it?
How Cornelius would have spurned2 the offer of his liberty inexchange for his tulip!
Day came, without any news; the tulip was not yet in flower.
The day passed as the night. Night came, and with it Rosa,joyous and cheerful as a bird.
"Well?" asked Cornelius.
"Well, all is going on prosperously. This night, without anydoubt, our tulip will be in flower.""And will it flower black?""Black as jet.""Without a speck3 of any other colour.""Without one speck.""Good Heavens! my dear Rosa, I have been dreaming all night,in the first place of you," (Rosa made a sign ofincredulity,) "and then of what we must do.""Well?""Well, and I will tell you now what I have decided4 on. Thetulip once being in flower, and it being quite certain thatit is perfectly5 black, you must find a messenger.""If it is no more than that, I have a messenger quiteready.""Is he safe?""One for whom I will answer, -- he is one of my lovers.""I hope not Jacob.""No, be quiet, it is the ferryman of Loewestein, a smartyoung man of twenty-five.""By Jove!""Be quiet," said Rosa, smiling, "he is still under age, asyou have yourself fixed6 it from twenty-six to twenty-eight.""In fine, do you think you may rely on this young man?""As on myself; he would throw himself into the Waal or theMeuse if I bade him.""Well, Rosa, this lad may be at Haarlem in ten hours; youwill give me paper and pencil, and, perhaps better still,pen and ink, and I will write, or rather, on secondthoughts, you will, for if I did, being a poor prisoner,people might, like your father, see a conspiracy7 in it. Youwill write to the President of the Horticultural Society,and I am sure he will come.""But if he tarries?""Well, let us suppose that he tarries one day, or even two;but it is impossible. A tulip-fancier like him will nottarry one hour, not one minute, not one second, to set outto see the eighth wonder of the world. But, as I said, if hetarried one or even two days, the tulip will still be in itsfull splendour. The flower once being seen by the President,and the protocol8 being drawn9 up, all is in order; you willonly keep a duplicate of the protocol, and intrust the tulipto him. Ah! if we had been able to carry it ourselves, Rosa,it would never have left my hands but to pass into yours;but this is a dream, which we must not entertain," continuedCornelius with a sigh, "the eyes of strangers will see itflower to the last. And above all, Rosa, before thePresident has seen it, let it not be seen by any one. Alas10!
if any one saw the black tulip, it would be stolen.""Oh!""Did you not tell me yourself of what you apprehended11 fromyour lover Jacob? People will steal one guilder, why not ahundred thousand?""I shall watch; be quiet.""But if it opened whilst you were here?""The whimsical little thing would indeed be quite capable ofplaying such a trick," said Rosa.
"And if on your return you find it open?""Well?""Oh, Rosa, whenever it opens, remember that not a momentmust be lost in apprising12 the President.""And in apprising you. Yes, I understand."Rosa sighed, yet without any bitter feeling, but rather likea woman who begins to understand a foible, and to accustomherself to it.
"I return to your tulip, Mynheer van Baerle, and as soon asit opens I will give you news, which being done themessenger will set out immediately.""Rosa, Rosa, I don't know to what wonder under the sun Ishall compare you.""Compare me to the black tulip, and I promise you I shallfeel very much flattered. Good night, then, till we meetagain, Mynheer Cornelius.""Oh, say 'Good night, my friend.'""Good night, my friend," said Rosa, a little consoled.
"Say, 'My very dear friend.'""Oh, my friend -- ""Very dear friend, I entreat13 you, say 'very dear,' Rosa,very dear.""Very dear, yes, very dear," said Rosa, with a beatingheart, beyond herself with happiness.
"And now that you have said 'very dear,' dear Rosa, say also'most happy': say 'happier and more blessed than ever manwas under the sun.' I only lack one thing, Rosa.""And that is?""Your cheek, -- your fresh cheek, your soft, rosy14 cheek. Oh,Rosa, give it me of your own free will, and not by chance.
Ah!"The prisoner's prayer ended in a sigh of ecstasy15; his lipsmet those of the maiden16, -- not by chance, nor by stratagem,but as Saint-Preux's was to meet the lips of Julie a hundredyears later.
Rosa made her escape.
Cornelius stood with his heart upon his lips, and his faceglued to the wicket in the door.
He was fairly choking with happiness and joy. He opened hiswindow, and gazed long, with swelling17 heart, at thecloudless vault18 of heaven, and the moon, which shone likesilver upon the two-fold stream flowing from far beyond thehills. He filled his lungs with the pure, sweet air, whilehis brain dwelt upon thoughts of happiness, and his heartoverflowed with gratitude19 and religious fervour.
"Oh Thou art always watching from on high, my God," hecried, half prostrate20, his glowing eyes fixed upon thestars: "forgive me that I almost doubted Thy existenceduring these latter days, for Thou didst hide Thy facebehind the clouds, and wert for a moment lost to my sight, OThou merciful God, Thou pitying Father everlasting21! Butto-day, this evening, and to-night, again I see Thee in allThy wondrous22 glory in the mirror of Thy heavenly abode23, andmore clearly still in the mirror of my grateful heart."He was well again, the poor invalid24; the wretched captivewas free once more.
During part of the night Cornelius, with his heart full ofjoy and delight, remained at his window, gazing at thestars, and listening for every sound.
Then casting a glance from time to time towards the lobby,--"Down there," he said, "is Rosa, watching like myself, andwaiting from minute to minute; down there, under Rosa'seyes, is the mysterious flower, which lives, which expands,which opens, perhaps Rosa holds in this moment the stem ofthe tulip between her delicate fingers. Touch it gently,Rosa. Perhaps she touches with her lips its expandingchalice. Touch it cautiously, Rosa, your lips are burning.
Yes, perhaps at this moment the two objects of my dearestlove caress25 each other under the eye of Heaven."At this moment, a star blazed in the southern sky, and shotthrough the whole horizon, falling down, as it were, on thefortress of Loewestein.
Cornelius felt a thrill run through his frame.
"Ah!" he said, "here is Heaven sending a soul to my flower."And as if he had guessed correctly, nearly at that verymoment the prisoner heard in the lobby a step light as thatof a sylph, and the rustling27 of a gown, and a well-knownvoice, which said to him, --"Cornelius, my friend, my very dear friend, and very happyfriend, come, come quickly."Cornelius darted28 with one spring from the window to thedoor, his lips met those of Rosa, who told him, with a kiss,--"It is open, it is black, here it is.""How! here it is?" exclaimed Cornelius.
"Yes, yes, we ought indeed to run some little risk to give agreat joy; here it is, take it."And with one hand she raised to the level of the grating adark lantern, which she had lit in the meanwhile, whilstwith the other she held to the same height the miraculoustulip.
Cornelius uttered a cry, and was nearly fainting.
"Oh!" muttered he, "my God, my God, Thou dost reward me formy innocence29 and my captivity30, as Thou hast allowed two suchflowers to grow at the grated window of my prison!"The tulip was beautiful, splendid, magnificent; its stem wasmore than eighteen inches high; it rose from out of fourgreen leaves, which were as smooth and straight as ironlance-heads; the whole of the flower was as black andshining as jet.
"Rosa," said Cornelius, almost gasping31, "Rosa, there is notone moment to lose in writing the letter.""It is written, my dearest Cornelius," said Rosa.
"Is it, indeed?""Whilst the tulip opened I wrote it myself, for I did notwish to lose a moment. Here is the letter, and tell mewhether you approve of it."Cornelius took the letter, and read, in a handwriting whichwas much improved even since the last little note he hadreceived from Rosa, as follows: --"Mynheer President, -- The black tulip is about to open,perhaps in ten minutes. As soon as it is open, I shall senda messenger to you, with the request that you will come andfetch it in person from the fortress26 at Loewestein. I am thedaughter of the jailer, Gryphus, almost as much of a captiveas the prisoners of my father. I cannot, therefore, bring toyou this wonderful flower. This is the reason why I beg youto come and fetch it yourself.
"It is my wish that it should be called Rosa Barlaensis.
"It has opened; it is perfectly black; come, MynheerPresident, come.
"I have the honour to be your humble32 servant,"Rosa Gryphus.
"That's it, dear Rosa, that's it. Your letter is admirable!
I could not have written it with such beautiful simplicity33.
You will give to the committee all the information that willbe required of you. They will then know how the tulip hasbeen grown, how much care and anxiety, and how manysleepless nights, it has cost. But for the present not aminute must be lost. The messenger! the messenger!""What's the name of the President?""Give me the letter, I will direct it. Oh, he is very wellknown: it is Mynheer van Systens, the burgomaster ofHaarlem; give it to me, Rosa, give it to me."And with a trembling hand Cornelius wrote the address, --"To Mynheer Peter van Systens, Burgomaster, and President ofthe Horticultural Society of Haarlem.""And now, Rosa, go, go," said Cornelius, "and let us implorethe protection of God, who has so kindly34 watched over usuntil now."
收听单词发音 |
1
agitation
|
|
| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
spurned
|
|
| v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
speck
|
|
| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
conspiracy
|
|
| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
protocol
|
|
| n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
alas
|
|
| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
apprehended
|
|
| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
apprising
|
|
| v.告知，通知( apprise的现在分词 )；评价 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
13
entreat
|
|
| v.恳求，恳请 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
rosy
|
|
| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
ecstasy
|
|
| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
maiden
|
|
| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
swelling
|
|
| n.肿胀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
vault
|
|
| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
gratitude
|
|
| adj.感激，感谢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
prostrate
|
|
| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
everlasting
|
|
| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
wondrous
|
|
| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
abode
|
|
| n.住处，住所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
invalid
|
|
| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
caress
|
|
| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
fortress
|
|
| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
rustling
|
|
| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
innocence
|
|
| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
captivity
|
|
| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
humble
|
|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
simplicity
|
|
| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |