〃But？〃
〃But it might be Mynheer Jacob。〃
Rosa rushed toward the staircase； and a door was really
heard rapidly to close before the young damsel had got down
the first ten steps。
Cornelius was very uneasy about it； but it was after all
only a prelude to greater anxieties。
The flowing day passed without any remarkable incident。
Gryphus made his three visits； and discovered nothing。 He
never came at the same hours as he hoped thus to discover
the secrets of the prisoner。 Van Baerle； therefore； had
devised a contrivance； a sort of pulley； by means of which
he was able to lower or to raise his jug below the ledge of
tiles and stone before his window。 The strings by which this
was effected he had found means to cover with that moss
which generally grows on tiles； or in the crannies of the
walls。
Gryphus suspected nothing； and the device succeeded for
eight days。 One morning； however； when Cornelius； absorbed
in the contemplation of his bulb； from which a germ of
vegetation was already peeping forth； had not heard old
Gryphus coming upstairs as a gale of wind was blowing which
shook the whole tower； the door suddenly opened。
Gryphus； perceiving an unknown and consequently a forbidden
object in the hands of his prisoner； pounced upon it with
the same rapidity as the hawk on its prey。
As ill luck would have it； his coarse； hard hand； the same
which he had broken； and which Cornelius van Baerle had set
so well； grasped at once in the midst of the jug； on the
spot where the bulb was lying in the soil。
〃What have you got here？〃 he roared。 〃Ah！ have I caught
you？〃 and with this he grabbed in the soil。
〃I？ nothing； nothing；〃 cried Cornelius； trembling。
〃Ah！ have I caught you？ a jug and earth in it There is some
criminal secret at the bottom of all this。〃
〃Oh； my good Master Gryphus；〃 said Van Baerle； imploringly；
and anxious as the partridge robbed of her young by the
reaper。
In fact； Gryphus was beginning to dig the soil with his
crooked fingers。
〃Take care； sir； take care；〃 said Cornelius； growing quite
pale。
〃Care of what？ Zounds！ of what？〃 roared the jailer。
〃Take care； I say； you will crush it； Master Gryphus。〃
And with a rapid and almost frantic movement he snatched the
jug from the hands of Gryphus； and hid it like a treasure
under his arms。
But Gryphus； obstinate； like an old man； and more and more
convinced that he was discovering here a conspiracy against
the Prince of Orange； rushed up to his prisoner； raising his
stick； seeing； however； the impassible resolution of the
captive to protect his flower…pot he was convinced that
Cornelius trembled much less for his head than for his jug。
He therefore tried to wrest it from him by force。
〃Halloa！〃 said the jailer； furious； 〃here； you see； you are
rebelling。〃
〃Leave me my tulip；〃 cried Van Baerle。
〃Ah； yes； tulip；〃 replied the old man； 〃we know well the
shifts of prisoners。〃
〃But I vow to you 〃
〃Let go；〃 repeated Gryphus； stamping his foot； 〃let go； or I
shall call the guard。〃
〃Call whoever you like； but you shall not have this flower
except with my life。〃
Gryphus； exasperated； plunged his finger a second time into
the soil； and now he drew out the bulb； which certainly
looked quite black； and whilst Van Baerle； quite happy to
have saved the vessel； did not suspect that the adversary
had possessed himself of its precious contents； Gryphus
hurled the softened bulb with all his force on the flags；
where almost immediately after it was crushed to atoms under
his heavy shoe。
Van Baerle saw the work of destruction； got a glimpse of the
juicy remains of his darling bulb； and； guessing the cause
of the ferocious joy of Gryphus； uttered a cry of agony；
which would have melted the heart even of that ruthless
jailer who some years before killed Pelisson's spider。
The idea of striking down this spiteful bully passed like
lightning through the brain of the tulip…fancier。 The blood
rushed to his brow； and seemed like fire in his eyes； which
blinded him； and he raised in his two hands the heavy jug
with all the now useless earth which remained in it。 One
instant more； and he would have flung it on the bald head of
old Gryphus。
But a cry stopped him； a cry of agony； uttered by poor Rosa；
who； trembling and pale； with her arms raised to heaven；
made her appearance behind the grated window； and thus
interposed between her father and her friend。
Gryphus then understood the danger with which he had been
threatened； and he broke out in a volley of the most
terrible abuse。
〃Indeed；〃 said Cornelius to him； 〃you must be a very mean
and spiteful fellow to rob a poor prisoner of his only
consolation； a tulip bulb。〃
〃For shame； my father；〃 Rosa chimed in； 〃it is indeed a
crime you have committed here。〃
〃Ah； is that you； my little chatter…box？〃 the old man cried；
boiling with rage and turning towards her； 〃don't you meddle
with what don't concern you； but go down as quickly as
possible。〃
〃Unfortunate me；〃 continued Cornelius； overwhelmed with
grief。
〃After all； it is but a tulip；〃 Gryphus resumed； as he began
to be a little ashamed of himself。 〃You may have as many
tulips as you like： I have three hundred of them in my
loft。〃
〃To the devil with your tulips！〃 cried Cornelius； 〃you are
worthy of each other： had I a hundred thousand millions of
them； I would gladly give them for the one which you have
just destroyed。〃
〃Oh； so！〃 Gryphus said； in a tone of triumph； 〃now there we
have it。 It was not your tulip you cared for。 There was in
that false bulb some witchcraft； perhaps some means of
correspondence with conspirators against his Highness who
has granted you your life。 I always said they were wrong in
not cutting your head off。〃
〃Father； father！〃 cried Rosa。
〃Yes； yes！ it is better as it is now；〃 repeated Gryphus；
growing warm； 〃I have destroyed it； and I'll do the same
again； as often as you repeat the trick。 Didn't I tell you；
my fine fellow； that I would make your life a hard one？〃
〃A curse on you！〃 Cornelius exclaimed； quite beyond himself
with despair； as he gathered； with his trembling fingers；
the remnants of that bulb on which he had rested so many
joys and so many hopes。
〃We shall plant the other to…morrow； my dear Mynheer
Cornelius；〃 said Rosa； in a low voice； who understood the
intense grief of the unfortunate tulip…fancier； and who；
with the pure sacred love of her innocent heart； poured
these kind words； like a drop of balm； on the bleeding
wounds of Cornelius。
Chapter 18
Rosa's Lover
Rosa had scarcely pronounced these consolatory words when a
voice was heard from the staircase asking Gryphus how
matters were going on。
〃Do you hear； father？〃 said Rosa。
〃What？〃
〃Master Jacob calls you； he is uneasy。〃
〃There was such a noise；〃 said Gryphus； 〃wouldn't you have
thought he would murder me； this doctor？ They are always
very troublesome fellows； these scholars。〃
Then； pointing with his finger towards the staircase； he
said to Rosa： 〃Just lead the way； Miss。〃
After this he locked the door and called out： 〃I shall be
with you directly； friend Jacob。〃
Poor Cornelius； thus left alone with his bitter grief；
muttered to himself；
〃Ah； you old hangman！ it is me you have trodden under foot；
you have murdered me； I shall not survive it。〃
And certainly the unfortunate prisoner would have fallen ill
but for the counterpoise which Providence had granted to his
grief； and which was called Rosa。
In the evening she came back。 Her first words announced to
Cornelius that henceforth her father would make no objection
to his cultivating flowers。
〃And how do you know that？〃 the prisoner asked； with a
doleful look。
〃I know it because he has said so。〃
〃To deceive me； perhaps。〃
〃No； he repents。〃
〃Ah yes！ but too late。〃
〃This repentance is not of himself。〃
〃And who put it into him？〃
〃If you only knew how his friend scolded him！〃
〃Ah； Master Jacob； he does not leave you； then； that Master
Jacob？〃
〃At any rate； he leaves us as little as he can help。〃
Saying this； she smiled in such a way that the little cloud
of jealousy which had darkened the brow of Cornelius
speedily vanished。
〃How was it？〃 asked the prisoner。
〃Well； being asked by his friend； my father told at supper
the whole story of the tulip； or rather of the bulb； and of
his own fine exploit of crushing it。〃
Cornelius heaved a sigh； which might have been called a
groan。
〃Had you only seen Master Jacob at that moment！〃 continued
Rosa。 〃I really thought he would set fire to the castle； his
eyes were like two flaming torches； his hair stood on end；
and he clinched his fist for a moment； I thought he would
have strangled my father。〃
〃'You have done that；' he cried； 'you have crushed the
bulb？'
〃'Indeed I have。'
〃'It is infamous；' said Master Jacob； 'it is odious！ You
have committed a great crime！'
〃My father was quite dumbfounded。
〃'Are you mad； too？' he asked his friend。〃
〃Oh； what a worthy man is this Master Jacob！〃 muttered
Cornelius； 〃an honest soul； an excellent heart that he
is。〃
〃The truth is； that it is impossible to treat a man more
rudely than he did my father； he was really quite in
despair； repeating over and over again；
〃'Crushed； crushed the bulb！ my God； my God！ crushed！'
〃Then； turning toward me； he asked； 'But it was not the only
one that he had？'〃
〃Did he ask that？〃 inquired Cornelius； with some anxiety。
〃'You think it was not the only one？' said my father。 'Very
well； we shall search for the others。'
〃'You will search for the others？' cried Jacob； taking my
father by the collar； but he immediately loosed him。 Then；
turning towards me； he continued； asking 'And what did that
poor young man say？'
〃I did not know what to answer； as you had so strictly
enjoined me never to allow any one to guess the interest
which you are taking in the bulb。 Fortunately； my father
saved me from the difficulty by chiming