5
The Young Tulip-grower
In Dort, young Cornelius Van Baerle was standing in his drying-room. He was looking at three small tulip buibs.
‘Yes,’ he said to himself. ‘Next year, these bulbs will be black tulips. I am the happiest man in the seven states!’
At that moment, a servant ran into the room.
‘Somebody wants to see you, sir,’ he said. ‘He has come from The Hague. His name is Craeke.’
‘Craeke?’ Cornelius said. ‘Craeke is John De Witt’s servant. He must wait for a few minutes. I must put these bulbs safely in a drawer.’
‘I cannot wait!’ a voice shouted. Craeke ran into the room. He was holding a letter in his hand.
Cornelius was very surprised. He dropped tulip bulbs. They fell onto the floor.
‘Please, read this letter!’ Craeke said. ‘Please read it immediately, sir.’
‘I will read the letter,’ Cornelius said. ‘But I must pick up my bulbs first.’
He picked up the tulip bulbs and he looked at them carefully.
‘Good,’ he said quietly. ‘The bulbs are not damaged. I thank God for that.’
But Creake had put the letter on a table and he had left the house.
Suddenly, one of Cornelius’ servants ran into the drying room.
‘Oh, sir!’ the servant said. ‘There are soldiers in the house. They are going to arrest me? I do not understand,’ Cornelius said.
Cornelius was not frightened. He was thinking of his black tulip bulbs. He picked up Craeke’s letter from the table. He did not read it. The letter was written on a piece of white paper-a white page from a book. Very carefully, Cornelius put the paper round the three tulip bulbs-he made a package. Then he put the little package into his pocket.
Four soldiers ran into the room. A judge was with them. The judge was from the courtroom in Dort. The judge had received a message from Isaac Boxtel.