days at the latest； to the prisoner an account of his tulip。
She had not forgotten one word of the directions given to
her by Cornelius； whose speeches she treasured in her heart；
even when they did not take the shape of directions。
He； on his part； awoke deeper in love than ever。 The tulip；
indeed； was still a luminous and prominent object in his
mind； but he no longer looked upon it as a treasure to which
he ought to sacrifice everything； and even Rosa； but as a
marvellous combination of nature and art with which he would
have been happy to adorn the bosom of his beloved one。
Yet during the whole of that day he was haunted with a vague
uneasiness； at the bottom of which was the fear lest Rosa
should not come in the evening to pay him her usual visit。
This thought took more and more hold of him； until at the
approach of evening his whole mind was absorbed in it。
How his heart beat when darkness closed in！ The words which
he had said to Rosa on the evening before and which had so
deeply afflicted her； now came back to his mind more vividly
than ever； and he asked himself how he could have told his
gentle comforter to sacrifice him to his tulip； that is
to say； to give up seeing him； if need be； whereas to him
the sight of Rosa had become a condition of life。
In Cornelius's cell one heard the chimes of the clock of the
fortress。 It struck seven； it struck eight； it struck nine。
Never did the metal voice vibrate more forcibly through the
heart of any man than did the last stroke； marking the ninth
hour； through the heart of Cornelius。
All was then silent again。 Cornelius put his hand on his
heart； to repress as it were its violent palpitation； and
listened。
The noise of her footstep； the rustling of her gown on the
staircase； were so familiar to his ear； that she had no
sooner mounted one step than he used to say to himself；
〃Here comes Rosa。〃
This evening none of those little noises broke the silence
of the lobby； the clock struck nine； and a quarter； the
half…hour； then a quarter to ten； and at last its deep tone
announced； not only to the inmates of the fortress； but also
to all the inhabitants of Loewestein； that it was ten。
This was the hour at which Rosa generally used to leave
Cornelius。 The hour had struck； but Rosa had not come。
Thus then his foreboding had not deceived him； Rosa； being
vexed； shut herself up in her room and left him to himself。
〃Alas！〃 he thought； 〃I have deserved all this。 She will come
no more； and she is right in staying away； in her place I
should do just the same。〃
Yet notwithstanding all this； Cornelius listened； waited；
and hoped until midnight； then he threw himself upon the
bed； with his clothes on。
It was a long and sad night for him； and the day brought no
hope to the prisoner。
At eight in the morning； the door of his cell opened； but
Cornelius did not even turn his head； he had heard the heavy
step of Gryphus in the lobby； but this step had perfectly
satisfied the prisoner that his jailer was coming alone。
Thus Cornelius did not even look at Gryphus。
And yet he would have been so glad to draw him out； and to
inquire about Rosa。 He even very nearly made this inquiry；
strange as it would needs have appeared to her father。 To
tell the truth； there was in all this some selfish hope to
hear from Gryphus that his daughter was ill。
Except on extraordinary occasions； Rosa never came during
the day。 Cornelius therefore did not really expect her as
long as the day lasted。 Yet his sudden starts； his listening
at the door； his rapid glances at every little noise towards
the grated window； showed clearly that the prisoner
entertained some latent hope that Rosa would； somehow or
other； break her rule。
At the second visit of Gryphus； Cornelius； contrary to all
his former habits； asked the old jailer； with the most
winning voice； about her health； but Gryphus contented
himself with giving the laconical answer；
〃All's well。〃
At the third visit of the day； Cornelius changed his former
inquiry：
〃I hope nobody is ill at Loewestein？〃
〃Nobody；〃 replied； even more laconically； the jailer；
shutting the door before the nose of the prisoner。
Gryphus； being little used to this sort of civility on the
part of Cornelius； began to suspect that his prisoner was
about to try and bribe him。
Cornelius was now alone once more； it was seven o'clock in
the evening； and the anxiety of yesterday returned with
increased intensity。
But another time the hours passed away without bringing the
sweet vision which lighted up； through the grated window；
the cell of poor Cornelius； and which； in retiring； left
light enough in his heart to last until it came back again。
Van Baerle passed the night in an agony of despair。 On the
following day Gryphus appeared to him even more hideous；
brutal； and hateful than usual； in his mind； or rather in
his heart； there had been some hope that it was the old man
who prevented his daughter from coming。
In his wrath he would have strangled Gryphus； but would not
this have separated him for ever from Rosa？
The evening closing in； his despair changed into melancholy；
which was the more gloomy as； involuntarily； Van Baerle
mixed up with it the thought of his poor tulip。 It was now
just that week in April which the most experienced gardeners
point out as the precise time when tulips ought to be
planted。 He had said to Rosa；
〃I shall tell you the day when you are to put the bulb in
the ground。〃
He had intended to fix； at the vainly hoped for interview；
the following day as the time for that momentous operation。
The weather was propitious； the air； though still damp；
began to be tempered by those pale rays of the April sun
which； being the first； appear so congenial； although so
pale。 How if Rosa allowed the right moment for planting the
bulb to pass by； if； in addition to the grief of seeing
her no more； he should have to deplore the misfortune of
seeing his tulip fail on account of its having been planted
too late； or of its not having been planted at all！
These two vexations combined might well make him leave off
eating and drinking。
This was the case on the fourth day。
It was pitiful to see Cornelius； dumb with grief； and pale
from utter prostration； stretch out his head through the
iron bars of his window； at the risk of not being able to
draw it back again； to try and get a glimpse of the garden
on the left spoken of by Rosa； who had told him that its
parapet overlooked the river。 He hoped that perhaps he might
see； in the light of the April sun； Rosa or the tulip； the
two lost objects of his love。
In the evening； Gryphus took away the breakfast and dinner
of Cornelius； who had scarcely touched them。
On the following day he did not touch them at all； and
Gryphus carried the dishes away just as he had brought them。
Cornelius had remained in bed the whole day。
〃Well；〃 said Gryphus； coming down from the last visit； 〃I
think we shall soon get rid of our scholar。〃
Rosa was startled。
〃Nonsense！〃 said Jacob。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃He doesn't drink； he doesn't eat； he doesn't leave his bed。
He will get out of it； like Mynheer Grotius； in a chest；
only the chest will be a coffin。〃
Rosa grew pale as death。
〃Ah！〃 she said to herself； 〃he is uneasy about his tulip。〃
And； rising with a heavy heart； she returned to her chamber；
where she took a pen and paper； and during the whole of that
night busied herself with tracing letters。
On the following morning； when Cornelius got up to drag
himself to the window； he perceived a paper which had been
slipped under the door。
He pounced upon it； opened it； and read the following words；
in a handwriting which he could scarcely have recognized as
that of Rosa； so much had she improved during her short
absence of seven days；
〃Be easy； your tulip is going on well。〃
Although these few words of Rosa's somewhat soothed the
grief of Cornelius； yet he felt not the less the irony which
was at the bottom of them。 Rosa； then； was not ill； she was
offended； she had not been forcibly prevented from coming；
but had voluntarily stayed away。 Thus Rosa； being at
liberty； found in her own will the force not to come and see
him； who was dying with grief at not having seen her。
Cornelius had paper and a pencil which Rosa had brought to
him。 He guessed that she expected an answer； but that she
would not come before the evening to fetch it。 He therefore
wrote on a piece of paper； similar to that which he had
received；
〃It was not my anxiety about the tulip that has made me ill；
but the grief at not seeing you。〃
After Gryphus had made his last visit of the day； and
darkness had set in； he slipped the paper under the door；
and listened with the most intense attention； but he neither
heard Rosa's footsteps nor the rustling of her gown。
He only heard a voice as feeble as a breath； and gentle like
a caress； which whispered through the grated little window
in the door the word；
〃To…morrow！〃
Now to…morrow was the eighth day。 For eight days Cornelius
and Rosa had not seen each other。
Chapter 20
The Events which took place during those Eight Days
On the following evening； at the usual hour； Van Baerle
heard some one scratch at the grated little window； just as
Rosa had been in the habit of doing in the heyday of their
friendship。
Cornelius being； as may easily be imagined； not far off from
the door； perceived Rosa； who at last was waiting again for
him with her lamp in her hand。
Seeing him so sad and pale； she was startled； and said；
〃You are ill； Mynheer Cornelius？〃
〃Yes； I am；〃 he answered； as indeed he was suffering in mind
and in body。
〃I saw that you did not eat；〃 said Rosa； 〃my father told me
that you remained in bed all day。 I then wrote to calm your
uneasiness concerning the fate of the most precious object
of your anxiety。〃
〃And I；〃 said Cornelius； 〃I have answered。 Seeing your
return； my dear Rosa； I