to dark brown。
By the next year he had obtained flowers of a perfect
nut…brown； and Boxtel espied them in the border； whereas he
had himself as yet only succeeded in producing the light
brown。
It might perhaps be interesting to explain to the gentle
reader the beautiful chain of theories which go to prove
that the tulip borrows its colors from the elements； perhaps
we should give him pleasure if we were to maintain and
establish that nothing is impossible for a florist who
avails himself with judgment and discretion and patience of
the sun's heat； the clear water； the juices of the earth；
and the cool breezes。 But this is not a treatise upon tulips
in general； it is the story of one particular tulip which we
have undertaken to write； and to that we limit ourselves；
however alluring the subject which is so closely allied to
ours。
Boxtel； once more worsted by the superiority of his hated
rival； was now completely disgusted with tulip…growing； and；
being driven half mad； devoted himself entirely to
observation。
The house of his rival was quite open to view； a garden
exposed to the sun； cabinets with glass walls； shelves；
cupboards； boxes； and ticketed pigeon…holes； which could
easily be surveyed by the telescope。 Boxtel allowed his
bulbs to rot in the pits； his seedlings to dry up in their
cases； and his tulips to wither in the borders and
henceforward occupied himself with nothing else but the
doings at Van Baerle's。 He breathed through the stalks of
Van Baerle's tulips； quenched his thirst with the water he
sprinkled upon them； and feasted on the fine soft earth
which his neighbour scattered upon his cherished bulbs。
But the most curious part of the operations was not
performed in the garden。
It might be one o'clock in the morning when Van Baerle went
up to his laboratory； into the glazed cabinet whither
Boxtel's telescope had such an easy access； and here； as
soon as the lamp illuminated the walls and windows； Boxtel
saw the inventive genius of his rival at work。
He beheld him sifting his seeds； and soaking them in liquids
which were destined to modify or to deepen their colours。 He
knew what Cornelius meant when heating certain grains； then
moistening them； then combining them with others by a sort
of grafting； a minute and marvellously delicate
manipulation； and when he shut up in darkness those which
were expected to furnish the black colour； exposed to the
sun or to the lamp those which were to produce red； and
placed between the endless reflections of two water…mirrors
those intended for white； the pure representation of the
limpid element。
This innocent magic； the fruit at the same time of
child…like musings and of manly genius this patient
untiring labour； of which Boxtel knew himself to be
incapable made him； gnawed as he was with envy； centre
all his life； all his thoughts； and all his hopes in his
telescope。
For； strange to say； the love and interest of horticulture
had not deadened in Isaac his fierce envy and thirst of
revenge。 Sometimes； whilst covering Van Baerle with his
telescope； he deluded himself into a belief that he was
levelling a never…failing musket at him； and then he would
seek with his finger for the trigger to fire the shot which
was to have killed his neighbour。 But it is time that we
should connect with this epoch of the operations of the one；
and the espionage of the other； the visit which Cornelius de
Witt came to pay to his native town。
Chapter 7
The Happy Man makes Acquaintance with Misfortune
Cornelius de Witt； after having attended to his family
affairs； reached the house of his godson； Cornelius van
Baerle； one evening in the month of January； 1672。
De Witt； although being very little of a horticulturist or
of an artist； went over the whole mansion； from the studio
to the green…house； inspecting everything； from the pictures
down to the tulips。 He thanked his godson for having joined
him on the deck of the admiral's ship 〃The Seven Provinces；〃
during the battle of Southwold Bay； and for having given his
name to a magnificent tulip； and whilst he thus； with the
kindness and affability of a father to a son； visited Van
Baerle's treasures； the crowd gathered with curiosity； and
even respect； before the door of the happy man。
All this hubbub excited the attention of Boxtel； who was
just taking his meal by his fireside。 He inquired what it
meant； and； on being informed of the cause of all this stir；
climbed up to his post of observation； where in spite of the
cold； he took his stand； with the telescope to his eye。
This telescope had not been of great service to him since
the autumn of 1671。 The tulips； like true daughters of the
East； averse to cold； do not abide in the open ground in
winter。 They need the shelter of the house； the soft bed on
the shelves； and the congenial warmth of the stove。 Van
Baerle； therefore； passed the whole winter in his
laboratory； in the midst of his books and pictures。 He went
only rarely to the room where he kept his bulbs； unless it
were to allow some occasional rays of the sun to enter； by
opening one of the movable sashes of the glass front。
On the evening of which we are speaking； after the two
Corneliuses had visited together all the apartments of the
house； whilst a train of domestics followed their steps； De
Witt said in a low voice to Van Baerle；
〃My dear son； send these people away； and let us be alone
for some minutes。〃
The younger Cornelius； bowing assent； said aloud；
〃Would you now； sir； please to see my dry…room？〃
The dry…room； this pantheon； this sanctum sanctorum of the
tulip…fancier； was； as Delphi of old； interdicted to the
profane uninitiated。
Never had any of his servants been bold enough to set his
foot there。 Cornelius admitted only the inoffensive broom of
an old Frisian housekeeper； who had been his nurse； and who
from the time when he had devoted himself to the culture of
tulips ventured no longer to put onions in his stews； for
fear of pulling to pieces and mincing the idol of her foster
child。
At the mere mention of the dry…room； therefore； the servants
who were carrying the lights respectfully fell back。
Cornelius； taking the candlestick from the hands of the
foremost； conducted his godfather into that room； which was
no other than that very cabinet with a glass front into
which Boxtel was continually prying with his telescope。
The envious spy was watching more intently than ever。
First of all he saw the walls and windows lit up。
Then two dark figures appeared。
One of them； tall； majestic； stern； sat down near the table
on which Van Baerle had placed the taper。
In this figure； Boxtel recognised the pale features of
Cornelius de Witt； whose long hair； parted in front； fell
over his shoulders。
De Witt； after having said some few words to Cornelius； the
meaning of which the prying neighbour could not read in the
movement of his lips； took from his breast pocket a white
parcel； carefully sealed； which Boxtel； judging from the
manner in which Cornelius received it； and placed it in one
of the presses； supposed to contain papers of the greatest
importance。
His first thought was that this precious deposit enclosed
some newly imported bulbs from Bengal or Ceylon； but he soon
reflected that Cornelius de Witt was very little addicted to
tulip…growing； and that he only occupied himself with the
affairs of man； a pursuit by far less peaceful and agreeable
than that of the florist。 He therefore came to the
conclusion that the parcel contained simply some papers； and
that these papers were relating to politics。
But why should papers of political import be intrusted to
Van Baerle； who not only was； but also boasted of being； an
entire stranger to the science of government； which； in his
opinion； was more occult than alchemy itself？
It was undoubtedly a deposit which Cornelius de Witt；
already threatened by the unpopularity with which his
countrymen were going to honour him； was placing in the
hands of his godson； a contrivance so much the more cleverly
devised； as it certainly was not at all likely that it
should be searched for at the house of one who had always
stood aloof from every sort of intrigue。
And； besides； if the parcel had been made up of bulbs；
Boxtel knew his neighbour too well not to expect that Van
Baerle would not have lost one moment in satisfying his
curiosity and feasting his eyes on the present which he had
received。
But； on the contrary； Cornelius had received the parcel from
the hands of his godfather with every mark of respect； and
put it by with the same respectful manner in a drawer；
stowing it away so that it should not take up too much of
the room which was reserved to his bulbs。
The parcel thus being secreted； Cornelius de Witt got up；
pressed the hand of his godson； and turned towards the door；
Van Baerle seizing the candlestick； and lighting him on his
way down to the street； which was still crowded with people
who wished to s