cheers.

Chapter 32



A Last Request

At this solemn moment, and whilst the cheers still



resounded, a carriage was driving along the road on the

outskirts of the green on which the scene occurred; it



pursued its way slowly, on account of the flocks of children

who were pushed out of the avenue by the crowd of men and



women.

This carriage, covered with dust, and creaking on its axles,



the result of a long journey, enclosed the unfortunate Van

Baerle, who was just beginning to get a glimpse through the



open window of the scene which we have tried -- with poor

success, no doubt -- to present to the eyes of the reader.



The crowd and the noise and the display of artificial and

natural magnificence were as dazzling to the prisoner as a



ray of light flashing suddenly into his dungeon.

Notwithstanding the little readiness which his companion had



shown in answering his questions concerning his fate, he

ventured once more to ask the meaning of all this bustle,



which at first sight seemed to be utterly disconnected with

his own affairs.



"What is all this, pray, Mynheer Lieutenant?" he asked of

his conductor.



"As you may see, sir," replied the officer, "it is a feast."

"Ah, a feast," said Cornelius, in the sad tone of



indifference of a man to whom no joy remains in this world.

Then, after some moments, silence, during which the carriage



had proceeded a few yards, he asked once more, --

"The feast of the patron saint of Haarlem? as I see so many



flowers."

"It is, indeed, a feast in which flowers play a principal



part."

"Oh, the sweet scents! oh, the beautiful colours!" cried



Cornelius.

"Stop, that the gentleman may see," said the officer, with



that frank kindliness which is peculiar to military men, to

the soldier who was acting as postilion.



"Oh, thank you, Sir, for your kindness," replied Van Baerle,

in a melancholy tone; "the joy of others pains me; please



spare me this pang."

"Just as you wish. Drive on! I ordered the driver to stop



because I thought it would please you, as you are said to

love flowers, and especially that the feast of which is



celebrated to-day."

"And what flower is that?"



"The tulip."

"The tulip!" cried Van Baerle, "is to-day the feast of



tulips?"

"Yes, sir; but as this spectacle displeases you, let us



drive on."

The officer was about to give the order to proceed, but



Cornelius stopped him, a painful thought having struck him.

He asked, with faltering voice, --



"Is the prize given to-day, sir?"

"Yes, the prize for the black tulip."



Cornelius's cheek flushed, his whole frame trembled, and the

cold sweat stood on his brow.



"Alas! sir," he said, "all these good people will be as

unfortunate as myself, for they will not see the solemnity



which they have come to witness, or at least they will see

it incompletely."



"What is it you mean to say?"

"I mean to say." replied Cornelius, throwing himself back in



the carriage, "that the black tulip will not be found,

except by one whom I know."



"In this case," said the officer, "the person whom you know

has found it, for the thing which the whole of Haarlem is



looking at at this moment is neither more nor less than the

black tulip."



"The black tulip!" replied Van Baerle, thrusting half his

• triumph [´traiəmf] n.胜利 vi.得胜，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• conquest [´kɔŋkwest] n.赢得；获得；占领地 (初中英语单词)


• procession [prə´seʃən] n.队伍 v.列队行进 (初中英语单词)


• flight [flait] n.逃走；飞行；班机 (初中英语单词)


• velvet [´velvit] n.&a.天鹅绒(般的) (初中英语单词)


• eternal [i´tə:nəl] a.永远的；永恒的 (初中英语单词)


• worship [´wə:ʃip] n.&v.崇拜；敬仰 (初中英语单词)


• culture [´kʌltʃə] n.修养；文化；饲养 (初中英语单词)


• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)


• resolution [,rezə´lu:ʃən] n.决心；坚决；果断 (初中英语单词)


• humour [´hju:mə] n.幽默，诙谐 (初中英语单词)


• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• corporation [,kɔ:pə´reiʃən] n.社团；法人；公司 (初中英语单词)


• eagerly [´i:gəli] ad.渴望地，急切地 (初中英语单词)


• worthy [´wə:ði] a.有价值的；值得的 (初中英语单词)


• thirst [θə:st] n.渴，口渴；渴望 (初中英语单词)


• dramatic [drə´mætik] a.戏剧的；戏剧般的 (初中英语单词)


• scarlet [´skɑ:lit] n.猩红色 a.猩红的 (初中英语单词)


• violent [´vaiələnt] a.强暴的；猛烈的 (初中英语单词)


• constantly [´kɔnstəntli] ad.经常地；不断地 (初中英语单词)


• stolen [´stəulən] steal 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)


• thereby [´ðeəbai] ad.因此，由此 (初中英语单词)


• proclaim [prə´kleim] vt.宣布；公布；声明 (初中英语单词)


• holland [´hɔlənd] n.荷兰 (初中英语单词)


• breath [breθ] n.呼吸；气息 (初中英语单词)


• perceive [pə´si:v] vt.察觉；看出；领悟 (初中英语单词)


• circle [´sə:kəl] n.圆圈 v.环绕；盘旋 (初中英语单词)


• magnificent [mæg´nifisənt] a.壮丽的；豪华的 (初中英语单词)


• lively [´laivli] a.活泼的；热烈的 (初中英语单词)


• solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)


• carriage [´kæridʒ] n.马车；客车；货运 (初中英语单词)


• account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)


• unfortunate [ʌn´fɔ:tʃunit] a.不幸的，运气差的 (初中英语单词)


• beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)


• glimpse [glimps] n.&v.瞥见 (初中英语单词)


• artificial [,ɑ:ti´fiʃəl] a.人工的；模拟的 (初中英语单词)


• companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)


• peculiar [pi´kju:liə] a.特有的；奇异的 (初中英语单词)


• acting [´æktiŋ] a.代理的 n.演戏 (初中英语单词)


• spectacle [´spektəkəl] n.展览；表演；景象 (初中英语单词)


• witness [´witnis] n.见证人 vt.目击 (初中英语单词)


• caesar [´si:zə] n.凯撒；暴君；独裁者 (高中英语单词)


• sweeping [´swi:piŋ] a.掠过的 n.扫除；清除 (高中英语单词)


• pacific [pə´sifik] a.和平的；温和的 (高中英语单词)


• fragrant [´freigrənt] a.芳香的，芬芳的 (高中英语单词)


• litter [´litə] n.杂乱 v.乱丢 (高中英语单词)


• exhibition [eksi´biʃ(ə)n] n.展览；显示；表演 (高中英语单词)


• illustrious [i´lʌstriəs] a.杰出的，显赫的 (高中英语单词)


• pavement [´peivmənt] n.路面；铺筑材料 (高中英语单词)


• detect [di´tekt] vt.发觉；侦察 (高中英语单词)


• applause [ə´plɔ:z] n.鼓掌；欢呼；称赞 (高中英语单词)


• notable [´nəutəbəl] a.显著的 n.名人 (高中英语单词)


• learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)


• discourse [´diskɔ:s] n.论文；演说；说教 (高中英语单词)


• radiant [´reidiənt] a.发光的 n.光源(体) (高中英语单词)


• throne [θrəun] n.宝座；王位 (高中英语单词)


• highness [´hainis] n.高，高贵，高尚 (高中英语单词)


• withdrew [wið´dru:] withdraw的过去式 (高中英语单词)


• fortress [´fɔ:tris] n.堡垒，要塞 (高中英语单词)


• producer [prə´dju:sə] n.生产者；演出人 (高中英语单词)


• escort [´eskɔ:t] n.伴随者；警卫(队) (高中英语单词)


• whilst [wailst] conj.当…时候；虽然 (高中英语单词)


• concerning [kən´sə:niŋ] prep.关于 (高中英语单词)


• patron [´peitrən] n.庇护人，保护人；赞助人 (高中英语单词)


• melancholy [´melənkəli] n.忧郁 a.忧郁的 (高中英语单词)


• painful [´peinfəl] a.痛(苦)的；费力的 (高中英语单词)


• placid [´plæsid] a.平静的；温和的 (英语四级单词)


• refinement [ri´fainmənt] n.精炼；精制；文雅 (英语四级单词)


• insignificant [,insig´nifikənt] a.无意义的；无价值的 (英语四级单词)


• generously [´dʒenərəsli] ad.慷慨地 (英语四级单词)


• heroine [´herəuin] n.女英雄；女主人公 (英语四级单词)


• eloquent [´eləkwənt] a.流利的；雄辩的 (英语四级单词)


• parchment [´pɑ:tʃmənt] n.羊皮纸(文稿) (英语四级单词)


• wretch [retʃ] n.不幸的人；卑鄙的人 (英语四级单词)


• amidst [ə´midst] prep.=amid (英语四级单词)


• pedestal [´pedistl] n.垫座 vt.给…装上座 (英语四级单词)


• magnificence [mæg´nifisns] n.壮丽；宏伟；豪华 (英语四级单词)


• readiness [´redinis] n.准备就绪；愿意 (英语四级单词)


• pompey [´pɔmpi] n.庞培 (英语六级单词)


• fickle [´fikəl] a.轻浮的；多变的 (英语六级单词)


• vanilla [və´nilə] n.香草属，香草精 (英语六级单词)


• adoration [,ædə´reiʃən] n.崇拜，敬爱 (英语六级单词)


• grower [´grəuə] n.种植者，栽培者 (英语六级单词)


• timidly [´timidli] ad.胆怯地 (英语六级单词)


• descry [di´skrai] vt.(从远处)看出 (英语六级单词)