[Comprehensive classics] Let Gao Leng learn the language

At about twelve o'clock in the morning, van Baerle was taken to the Buitenhof prison.

The prison guard Grievous accepted the new guest, saw the identity of the prisoner from the arrest ticket, and murmured with a smile that only a guard could have:

"Godson of Corneille de Witte; well, young man, we happen to have your own room here; I will give it to you."

When the handrail of the stairs creaked under the weight of Van Baerle's hand, Ms. Gao Leng slightly opened the window hole on the door of her room.

She had been waiting for this moment all day, and when the big prison dog dragged its chain and barked at Van Baerle, her hand was already on the window.

The room where Ms. Gao Leng lives is at the bottom of the stairs. She holds a lamp in her right hand. Her face and the blond hair around her face are transparent under the light. This is what Van Baerle saw when he looked down.

He stood on the steps with a sad face, and glanced at Ms. Gao Leng with empty and melancholy eyes.

Ms. Gao Leng silently watched this handsome young man with a pale face climb up the stairs slowly.

She heard Grievous say, "Just live in a private room in your house."

Ms. Gao Leng closed the window and lay on her back on the bed. The bed was hard and paved with stones. She didn't have the time to find fault with it now. Her whole mind was in the script she understood.

She didn't know how to accomplish this task, not to mention the death of the de Witte brothers disturbed her mind.

She knew that Van Baerle would be interrogated tomorrow, and she knew that the only thing that could save him from the next prison sentence was the page of the bible that Clark gave him.

However, although she knew everything, she could do nothing, and she did not forget her mission—to occupy the first place in Cornelius van Baerle's heart.

She clearly understands that Cornelius is Rosa who fell in love with prison life.

Apart from this, there is no circumstance in which a man of high birth could fall in love with a cell-keeper's daughter.

When the dawn light illuminated the roof of the house with the capstone, Madam Gao Leng heard the screams of Cornelius from the cell.

Locked in his cell, wondering if there was anything alive around him, he went to the window and looked out.

At the far end of the square stood a dark mass, stained dark blue by the morning mist.Its irregular outline is clearly set off by those gray and white houses.

Cornelius recognized it as a public stand.

Two shapeless corpses hung from the gallows, nothing but bloody skeletons.

The good inhabitants of The Hague cut off the flesh of their victims, but faithfully bring them to the gallows, so that they may have excuse for a double note on a great wooden tablet.

On this wooden sign, Cornelius, with the eyesight of a man of twenty-eight, could see the following lines written with the big brush of the signboard painter:

Hanging here are: the big villain named John de Witt, and his brother Corneille de Witt, the little rascal.Both of them were enemies of the people and great friends of the King of France.

Cornelius gave a cry of terror, and beat and kicked the door desperately in terror.

Upon hearing this, Grievous hurriedly came angrily holding a bunch of big keys.As he opened the door, he cursed the prisoner fiercely.Because the prisoner bothers him when he shouldn't.

"God knows! The DeWitts are crazy!" he cried; "the DeWitts have devils!"

"Sir, sir," said Cornelius, taking the guard by the arm, and drawing him to the window; "sir, what is written there?"

"Where is it?"

"On that wooden sign."

Trembling, pale, panting, he pointed to the end of the square, with the sarcasm on top of the parade.

Grievous laughed.

"Ha! ha!" he answered, "you see... well! my dear sir, that is what happens to anyone who associates with the enemies of the Prince of Orange."

"The two Monsieur de Wittes have been murdered!" murmured Cornelius, sitting down on the bed with cold sweat on his brow, clasping his arms and closing his eyes.

"Mr. DeWitt has been tried by the people," said Grievous; "murder, you say? Well, I say execution."

Seeing that the prisoner had not only calmed down, but was also depressed, he walked out of the cell, closed the door hard, and slammed the door shut.

When Cornelius recovered and found himself alone, he realized that the room he was in was, as Grievous said, "the room dedicated to your house" and was on his way to his tragic death. Go down an ominous aisle.

Because he was a philosopher, and especially because he was a Christian, he prayed first for the soul of his godfather, then for the soul of the speaker, and finally decided to resign himself to all the misery that God pleased to inflict upon him.

He returned from the sky to the earth, from the earth to his cell, and after confirming that he was the only one in the cell, he took out three black tulip bulbs from his bosom and hid them in the cup where the pitcher used to be. Behind that sandstone, in the darkest corner of the prison.

Years of hard work in vain!What a hope for nothing!His discovery, like his life, was about to end!In this prison, there is not a blade of grass, not a speck of dust, not a ray of sunshine!

That night, Grievous slipped on a wet flagstone while opening the cell door while delivering meals to the prisoners.When he fell, he tried to use one hand to support himself, but it missed, so he broke near the wrist.

Cornelius wanted to go and help him, but he did not expect how badly he was wounded, and said:

"Nothing; don't trouble me."

He tried to get up on his arms, but the bones were broken; Grievous did not feel the pain until then, and cried out.

When he knew that his arm was broken, this person who was usually so fierce to others collapsed at the door, lying motionless, his whole body was cold, like a dead person.At this time, the cell door remained open, and Cornelius was almost completely free.

But he didn't think of taking advantage of this opportunity at all. Judging from the way his arm was twisted and the sound it made when it was twisted, it must be a broken bone and the pain must be severe.All he could think of was to save the wounded man, although the wounded man had shown ill will towards him in the only conversation he had with him.

Following the sound of Grievous' fall, and his uncontrollable cry of pain, there was a sound of hurried steps on the stairs; following the sound came a man, Cornelius gently He cried out, and was answered by the cry of a young girl.

Ms. Gao Leng came here soon, and she looked at him with bright and clear eyes.

"thank you for your help."

Cornelius blushed.

"I was just doing my Christian duty," he said, "to help my fellow man."

"Yes, you helped him at night, and you have forgotten that he scolded you in the morning."

Cornelius cast a careful look at the girl before him, and was amazed at how she spoke and behaved nothing like that of a humble birth.

However, he had no time to express his surprise.Grievous awoke from his stupor, opened his eyes; and at the same time as his consciousness returned, so did his brutish disposition.

"Hmph! That's how it is," he said. "You are so busy delivering food to the prisoners that you fall down and break your arm, and you are left lying on the ground."

Ms. Gao Leng had already taken Grievous's rough temper as air, and she said unhurriedly: "You have wronged this young gentleman, I saw him rescue you just now."

"Him?" Grievous asked suspiciously.

"That's right, sir; I'm going to go on with your care."

"You?" asked Grievous; "are you a doctor?"

"This is my first profession," said Cornelius.

"So, can you put the arm back on for me?"

"Absolutely."

"What do you need to pick it up?"

"Two thin pieces of wood, and some long strips of cloth."

"You see, Rosa," said Grievous, "the prisoner is going to put my arm back together; it'll save a few bucks. Come, help me up; I feel as heavy as lead."

Ms. Gao Leng didn't respond, and instead of helping Grievous to his feet, she turned to look for veneers and cloth strips.

Cornelius kindly helped Grievous to his feet, seated him in a chair, took off his coat, and rolled up his sleeves.

"Master, is this what you want?" Ms. Gao Leng asked.

"Yes, madam," said Cornelius, glancing at what had been brought; "yes, that is exactly. Now, I lift your father's arm, and you bring that table here. "

Ms. Gao Leng pulled the table, and Cornelius waited for her to finish pulling it. He put the broken arm on it, spread it flat, spliced ​​the bones with skilled medical skills, sandwiched wood chips, and wrapped them in bandages.

While the last pin was being fastened, the guard passed out again.

"Get some vinegar, madam," said Cornelius; "rub his temples with vinegar, and he will wake up."

However, Ms. Gao Leng, who had already expected it, did not follow the doctor's orders. After she was sure that Grievous had completely lost consciousness, she walked towards Cornelius and said according to the lines:

"Sir, let's help each other."

"What do you mean, fair maiden?" asked Cornelius.

"I mean, sir, that the judge who will interrogate you tomorrow has come to see you in this room today; he smiled sinisterly when he learned that you were locked up in M. Corneille de Witte's room." , I am afraid that what is waiting for you will not be a good thing."

"But," asked Cornelius, "what can they do to me?"

"Look at that tattoo rack!"

"But I have not sinned," said Cornelius.

"The two bloody men hanging there, have they committed a crime?"

"It is true," said Cornelius sadly.

"Besides," Ms. Gao Leng continued according to the lines, "public opinion will turn you into a criminal. It doesn't matter if you are guilty or not. Your case will be tried tomorrow and you will be convicted the day after tomorrow. It can be dealt with quickly now."

"Miss, you said these words, what is the conclusion?"

"My conclusion is: I'm alone here, I'm weak, my father is unconscious, the dog is muzzled, so there's nothing stopping you from running away. Run away, it's me conclusion."

"What did you say?"

"I said I couldn't save Monsieur Corneille and John de Witt, and I'd love to save you. But hurry; he's already recovered. He's going to open his eyes in a minute, and by then he won't be able to." It's too late. Do you still hesitate?"

In fact, Cornelius stood motionless and looked at Madame Gaullin, as if he hadn't heard her when he looked at her.

"Don't you understand?" Ms. Gao Leng asked in an anxious tone that didn't fit her character. She couldn't tell whether she was pretending or sincerely hoped that he could escape.

"No, I understand," said Cornelius; "but..."

"But what?"

"I refuse. They'll sue you."

"What does that matter?"

"Thank you, my child," replied Cornelius; "I will stay."

"You stay! My God! My God!"

Ms. Gao Leng hadn't spoken more lines of sympathy for Cornelius when the guard woke up.

"Hey!" he called, "what are you talking about?"

"Don't get excited!" said Cornelius, smiling kindly: "The worst thing about a broken bone is anger."

Then he quietly said to Ms. Gao Leng:

"My child, I am not guilty, and I will wait for my judge with the calm and deliberate attitude that a person who is not guilty should have."

"say no more,"

"Stop talking, why?"

"I can't make my father suspect that the two of us have talked."

"What's the harm in that?"

"What's the harm? He will never allow me to come here again." Madam Gao Leng copied the lines and said this sentence at the right time, which Cornelius understood.

Cornelius smiled at this innocent and intimate remark she had made to him, and he felt that there was a gleam of happiness in his misfortune.

"Hey! What are you two chattering about over there?" said Grievous, putting his left arm on his right, and standing up.

"Nothing," Ms. Gao Leng replied calmly, "This gentleman is taking care of me. What should you pay attention to?"

"What should I pay attention to! What should I pay attention to! Little beauty, I think you should pay attention to it too!"

"Pay attention to what?"

"You are not allowed to enter the prisoner's room. If you come in, you have to get out quickly; go, you go first, go quickly."

Ms. Gao Leng and Cornelius exchanged glances: "Did you see it!"

Cornelius smiled indifferently and shrugged his shoulders.

Ms. Gao Leng walked out. She didn't know how much Cornelius had a good impression of her at this time. Now she really wanted to return to the Space-Time Management Bureau immediately to get rid of the rule of not being able to change the trajectory of fate.

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