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The Black Tulip
by Alexandre Dumas； Pere
Chapter 1
A Grateful People
On the 20th of August； 1672； the city of the Hague； always
so lively； so neat； and so trim that one might believe every
day to be Sunday； with its shady park； with its tall trees；
spreading over its Gothic houses； with its canals like large
mirrors； in which its steeples and its almost Eastern
cupolas are reflected； the city of the Hague； the capital
of the Seven United Provinces； was swelling in all its
arteries with a black and red stream of hurried； panting；
and restless citizens； who； with their knives in their
girdles； muskets on their shoulders； or sticks in their
hands； were pushing on to the Buytenhof； a terrible prison；
the grated windows of which are still shown； where； on the
charge of attempted murder preferred against him by the
surgeon Tyckelaer； Cornelius de Witt； the brother of the
Grand Pensionary of Holland was confined。
If the history of that time； and especially that of the year
in the middle of which our narrative commences； were not
indissolubly connected with the two names just mentioned；
the few explanatory pages which we are about to add might
appear quite supererogatory； but we will； from the very
first； apprise the reader our old friend； to whom we are
wont on the first page to promise amusement； and with whom
we always try to keep our word as well as is in our power
that this explanation is as indispensable to the right
understanding of our story as to that of the great event
itself on which it is based。
Cornelius de Witt； Ruart de Pulten； that is to say； warden
of the dikes； ex…burgomaster of Dort； his native town； and
member of the Assembly of the States of Holland； was
forty…nine years of age； when the Dutch people； tired of the
Republic such as John de Witt； the Grand Pensionary of
Holland； understood it； at once conceived a most violent
affection for the Stadtholderate； which had been abolished
for ever in Holland by the 〃Perpetual Edict〃 forced by John
de Witt upon the United Provinces。
As it rarely happens that public opinion； in its whimsical
flights； does not identify a principle with a man； thus the
people saw the personification of the Republic in the two
stern figures of the brothers De Witt； those Romans of
Holland； spurning to pander to the fancies of the mob； and
wedding themselves with unbending fidelity to liberty
without licentiousness； and prosperity without the waste of
superfluity； on the other hand； the Stadtholderate recalled
to the popular mind the grave and thoughtful image of the
young Prince William of Orange。
The brothers De Witt humoured Louis XIV。； whose moral
influence was felt by the whole of Europe； and the pressure
of whose material power Holland had been made to feel in
that marvellous campaign on the Rhine； which； in the space
of three months； had laid the power of the United Provinces
prostrate。
Louis XIV。 had long been the enemy of the Dutch； who
insulted or ridiculed him to their hearts' content； although
it must be said that they generally used French refugees for
the mouthpiece of their spite。 Their national pride held him
up as the Mithridates of the Republic。 The brothers De Witt；
therefore； had to strive against a double difficulty；
against the force of national antipathy； and； besides；
against the feeling of weariness which is natural to all
vanquished people； when they hope that a new chief will be
able to save them from ruin and shame。
This new chief； quite ready to appear on the political
stage； and to measure himself against Louis XIV。； however
gigantic the fortunes of the Grand Monarch loomed in the
future； was William； Prince of Orange； son of William II。；
and grandson； by his mother Henrietta Stuart； of Charles I。
of England。 We have mentioned him before as the person by
whom the people expected to see the office of Stadtholder
restored。
This young man was； in 1672； twenty…two years of age。 John
de Witt； who was his tutor； had brought him up with the view
of making him a good citizen。 Loving his country better than
he did his disciple； the master had； by the Perpetual Edict；
extinguished the hope which the young Prince might have
entertained of one day becoming Stadtholder。 But God laughs
at the presumption of man； who wants to raise and prostrate
the powers on earth without consulting the King above； and
the fickleness and caprice of the Dutch combined with the
terror inspired by Louis XIV。； in repealing the Perpetual
Edict； and re…establishing the office of Stadtholder in
favour of William of Orange； for whom the hand of Providence
had traced out ulterior destinies on the hidden map of the
future。
The Grand Pensionary bowed before the will of his fellow
citizens； Cornelius de Witt； however； was more obstinate；
and notwithstanding all the threats of death from the
Orangist rabble； who besieged him in his house at Dort； he
stoutly refused to sign the act by which the office of
Stadtholder was restored。 Moved by the tears and entreaties
of his wife； he at last complied； only adding to his
signature the two letters V。 C。 （Vi Coactus）； notifying
thereby that he only yielded to force。
It was a real miracle that on that day he escaped from the
doom intended for him。
John de Witt derived no advantage from his ready compliance
with the wishes of his fellow citizens。 Only a few days
after； an attempt was made to stab him； in which he was
severely although not mortally wounded。
This by no means suited the views of the Orange faction。 The
life of the two brothers being a constant obstacle to their
plans； they changed their tactics； and tried to obtain by
calumny what they had not been able to effect by the aid of
the poniard。
How rarely does it happen that； in the right moment； a great
man is found to head the execution of vast and noble
designs； and for that reason； when such a providential
concurrence of circumstances does occur； history is prompt
to record the name of the chosen one； and to hold him up to
the admiration of posterity。 But when Satan interposes in
human affairs to cast a shadow upon some happy existence； or
to overthrow a kingdom； it seldom happens that he does not
find at his side some miserable tool； in whose ear he has
but to whisper a word to set him at once about his task。
The wretched tool who was at hand to be the agent of this
dastardly plot was one Tyckelaer whom we have already
mentioned； a surgeon by profession。
He lodged an information against Cornelius de Witt； setting
forth that the warden who； as he had shown by the letters
added to his signature； was fuming at the repeal of the
Perpetual Edict had； from hatred against William of
Orange； hired an assassin to deliver the new Republic of its
new Stadtholder； and he； Tyckelaer was the person thus
chosen； but that； horrified at the bare idea of the act
which he was asked to perpetrate； he had preferred rather to
reveal the crime than to commit it。
This disclosure was； indeed； well calculated to call forth a
furious outbreak among the Orange faction。 The Attorney
General caused； on the 16th of August； 1672； Cornelius de
Witt to be arrested； and the noble brother of John de Witt
had； like the vilest criminal； to undergo； in one of the
apartments of the town prison； the preparatory degrees of
torture； by means of which his judges expected to force from
him the confession of his alleged plot against William of
Orange。
But Cornelius was not only possessed of a great mind； but
also of a great heart。 He belonged to that race of martyrs
who； indissolubly wedded to their political convictions as
their ancestors were to their faith； are able to smile on
pain： while being stretched on the rack； he recited with a
firm voice； and scanning the lines according to measure； the
first strophe of the 〃Justum ac tenacem〃 of Horace； and；
making no confession； tired not only the strength； but even
the fanaticism； of his executioners。
The judges； notwithstanding； acquitted Tyckelaer from every
charge； at the same time sentencing Cornelius to be deposed
from all his offices and dignities； to pay all the costs of
the trial； and to be banished from the soil of the Republic
for ever。
This judgment against not only an innocent； but also a great
man； was indeed some gratification to the passions of the
people； to whose interests Cornelius de Witt had always
devoted himself： but； as we shall soon see； it was not
enough。
The Athenians； who indeed have left behind them a pretty
tolerable reputation for ingratitude； have in this respect
to yield precedence to the Dutch。 They； at least in the case
of Aristides； con