tarried one or even two days； the tulip will still be in its
full splendour。 The flower once being seen by the President；
and the protocol being drawn up； all is in order； you will
only keep a duplicate of the protocol； and intrust the tulip
to him。 Ah！ if we had been able to carry it ourselves； Rosa；
it would never have left my hands but to pass into yours；
but this is a dream； which we must not entertain；〃 continued
Cornelius with a sigh； 〃the eyes of strangers will see it
flower to the last。 And above all； Rosa； before the
President has seen it； let it not be seen by any one。 Alas！
if any one saw the black tulip； it would be stolen。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃Did you not tell me yourself of what you apprehended from
your lover Jacob？ People will steal one guilder； why not a
hundred thousand？〃
〃I shall watch； be quiet。〃
〃But if it opened whilst you were here？〃
〃The whimsical little thing would indeed be quite capable of
playing such a trick；〃 said Rosa。
〃And if on your return you find it open？〃
〃Well？〃
〃Oh； Rosa； whenever it opens； remember that not a moment
must be lost in apprising the President。〃
〃And in apprising you。 Yes； I understand。〃
Rosa sighed； yet without any bitter feeling； but rather like
a woman who begins to understand a foible； and to accustom
herself to it。
〃I return to your tulip； Mynheer van Baerle； and as soon as
it opens I will give you news； which being done the
messenger will set out immediately。〃
〃Rosa； Rosa； I don't know to what wonder under the sun I
shall compare you。〃
〃Compare me to the black tulip； and I promise you I shall
feel very much flattered。 Good night； then； till we meet
again； Mynheer Cornelius。〃
〃Oh； say 'Good night； my friend。'〃
〃Good night； my friend；〃 said Rosa； a little consoled。
〃Say； 'My very dear friend。'〃
〃Oh； my friend 〃
〃Very dear friend； I entreat you； say 'very dear；' Rosa；
very dear。〃
〃Very dear； yes； very dear；〃 said Rosa； with a beating
heart； beyond herself with happiness。
〃And now that you have said 'very dear；' dear Rosa； say also
'most happy'： say 'happier and more blessed than ever man
was under the sun。' I only lack one thing； Rosa。〃
〃And that is？〃
〃Your cheek； your fresh cheek； your soft； rosy cheek。 Oh；
Rosa； give it me of your own free will； and not by chance。
Ah！〃
The prisoner's prayer ended in a sigh of ecstasy； his lips
met those of the maiden； not by chance； nor by stratagem；
but as Saint…Preux's was to meet the lips of Julie a hundred
years later。
Rosa made her escape。
Cornelius stood with his heart upon his lips； and his face
glued to the wicket in the door。
He was fairly choking with happiness and joy。 He opened his
window； and gazed long； with swelling heart； at the
cloudless vault of heaven； and the moon； which shone like
silver upon the two…fold stream flowing from far beyond the
hills。 He filled his lungs with the pure； sweet air； while
his brain dwelt upon thoughts of happiness； and his heart
overflowed with gratitude and religious fervour。
〃Oh Thou art always watching from on high； my God；〃 he
cried； half prostrate； his glowing eyes fixed upon the
stars： 〃forgive me that I almost doubted Thy existence
during these latter days； for Thou didst hide Thy face
behind the clouds； and wert for a moment lost to my sight； O
Thou merciful God； Thou pitying Father everlasting！ But
to…day； this evening； and to…night； again I see Thee in all
Thy wondrous glory in the mirror of Thy heavenly abode； and
more clearly still in the mirror of my grateful heart。〃
He was well again； the poor invalid； the wretched captive
was free once more。
During part of the night Cornelius； with his heart full of
joy and delight； remained at his window； gazing at the
stars； and listening for every sound。
Then casting a glance from time to time towards the lobby；
〃Down there；〃 he said； 〃is Rosa； watching like myself； and
waiting from minute to minute； down there； under Rosa's
eyes； is the mysterious flower； which lives； which expands；
which opens； perhaps Rosa holds in this moment the stem of
the tulip between her delicate fingers。 Touch it gently；
Rosa。 Perhaps she touches with her lips its expanding
chalice。 Touch it cautiously； Rosa； your lips are burning。
Yes； perhaps at this moment the two objects of my dearest
love caress each other under the eye of Heaven。〃
At this moment； a star blazed in the southern sky； and shot
through the whole horizon； falling down； as it were； on the
fortress of Loewestein。
Cornelius felt a thrill run through his frame。
〃Ah！〃 he said； 〃here is Heaven sending a soul to my flower。〃
And as if he had guessed correctly； nearly at that very
moment the prisoner heard in the lobby a step light as that
of a sylph； and the rustling of a gown； and a well…known
voice； which said to him；
〃Cornelius； my friend； my very dear friend； and very happy
friend； come； come quickly。〃
Cornelius darted with one spring from the window to the
door； his lips met those of Rosa； who told him； with a kiss；
〃It is open； it is black； here it is。〃
〃How！ here it is？〃 exclaimed Cornelius。
〃Yes； yes； we ought indeed to run some little risk to give a
great joy； here it is； take it。〃
And with one hand she raised to the level of the grating a
dark lantern； which she had lit in the meanwhile； whilst
with the other she held to the same height the miraculous
tulip。
Cornelius uttered a cry； and was nearly fainting。
〃Oh！〃 muttered he； 〃my God； my God； Thou dost reward me for
my innocence and my captivity； as Thou hast allowed two such
flowers to grow at the grated window of my prison！〃
The tulip was beautiful； splendid； magnificent； its stem was
more than eighteen inches high； it rose from out of four
green leaves； which were as smooth and straight as iron
lance…heads； the whole of the flower was as black and
shining as jet。
〃Rosa；〃 said Cornelius； almost gasping； 〃Rosa； there is not
one moment to lose in writing the letter。〃
〃It is written； my dearest Cornelius；〃 said Rosa。
〃Is it； indeed？〃
〃Whilst the tulip opened I wrote it myself； for I did not
wish to lose a moment。 Here is the letter； and tell me
whether you approve of it。〃
Cornelius took the letter； and read； in a handwriting which
was much improved even since the last little note he had
received from Rosa； as follows：
〃Mynheer President； The black tulip is about to open；
perhaps in ten minutes。 As soon as it is open； I shall send
a messenger to you； with the request that you will come and
fetch it in person from the fortress at Loewestein。 I am the
daughter of the jailer； Gryphus； almost as much of a captive
as the prisoners of my father。 I cannot； therefore； bring to
you this wonderful flower。 This is the reason why I beg you
to come and fetch it yourself。
〃It is my wish that it should be called Rosa Barlaensis。
〃It has opened； it is perfectly black； come； Mynheer
President； come。
〃I have the honour to be your humble servant；
〃Rosa Gryphus。
〃That's it； dear Rosa； that's it。 Your letter is admirable！
I could not have written it with such beautiful simplicity。
You will give to the committee all the information that will
be required of you。 They will then know how the tulip has
been grown； how much care and anxiety； and how many
sleepless nights； it has cost。 But for the present not a
minute must be lost。 The messenger！ the messenger！〃
〃What's the name of the President？〃
〃Give me the letter； I will direct it。 Oh； he is very well
known： it is Mynheer van Systens； the burgomaster of
Haarlem； give it to me； Rosa； give it to me。〃
And with a trembling hand Cornelius wrote the address；
〃To Mynheer Peter van Systens； Burgomaster； and President of
the Horticultural Society of Haarlem。〃
〃And now； Rosa； go； go；〃 said Cornelius； 〃and let us implore
the protection of God； who has so kindly watched over us
until now。〃
Chapter 23
The Rival
And in fact the poor young people were in great need of protection。
They had never been so near the destruction of their hopes
as at this moment； when they thought themselves certain of
their fulfilment。
The reader cannot but have recognized in Jacob our old
friend； or rather enemy； Isaac Boxtel； and has guessed； no
doubt； that this worthy had followed from the Buytenhof to
Loewestein the object of his love and the object of his
hatred； the black tulip and Cornelius van Baerle。
What no one but a tulip…fancier； and an envious
tulip…fancier； could have discovered； the existence of
the bulbs and the endeavours of the prisoner； jealousy
had enabled Boxtel； if not to discover； at least to guess。
We have seen him； more successful under the name of Jacob
than under that of Isaac； gain the friendship of Gryphus；
which for several months he cultivated by means of the best
Genievre ever distilled from the Texel to Antwerp； and he
lulled the suspicion of the jealous turnkey by holding out
to him the flattering prospect of his designing to marry
Rosa。
Besides thus offering a bait to the ambition of the father；
he managed； at the same time； to interest his zeal as a
jailer； picturing to him in the blackest colours the learned
prisoner whom Gryphus had in his keeping； and who； as the
sham Jacob had it； was in league with Satan； to the
detriment of his Highness the Prince of Orange。
At first he had also made some way with Rosa； not； indeed；
in her affections； but inasmuch as； by talking to her of
marriage and of love； he had evaded all the suspicions which
he might otherwise have excited。
We have seen how his imprudence in following Rosa into the
garden had unmasked him in the eyes of the young damsel； and
how the instinctive fears of Cornelius had put the two
lovers on their guard against him。
The reader will remember that the first cause of uneasiness
was given to the prisoner by the rage of Jacob when Gryphus
crushed the first bulb。 In that moment Boxtel's exasperation
was the more fierce； as； though suspecting that Corn