crushed the first bulb。 In that moment Boxtel's exasperation
was the more fierce； as； though suspecting that Cornelius
possessed a second bulb； he by no means felt sure of it。
From that moment he began to dodge the steps of Rosa； not
only following her to the garden； but also to the lobbies。
Only as this time he followed her in the night； and
bare…footed； he was neither seen nor heard except once； when
Rosa thought she saw something like a shadow on the
staircase。
Her discovery； however； was made too late； as Boxtel had
heard from the mouth of the prisoner himself that a second
bulb existed。
Taken in by the stratagem of Rosa； who had feigned to put it
in the ground； and entertaining no doubt that this little
farce had been played in order to force him to betray
himself； he redoubled his precaution； and employed every
means suggested by his crafty nature to watch the others
without being watched himself。
He saw Rosa conveying a large flower…pot of white
earthenware from her father's kitchen to her bedroom。 He saw
Rosa washing in pails of water her pretty little hands；
begrimed as they were with the mould which she had handled；
to give her tulip the best soil possible。
And at last he hired； just opposite Rosa's window； a little
attic； distant enough not to allow him to be recognized with
the naked eye； but sufficiently near to enable him； with the
help of his telescope； to watch everything that was going on
at the Loewestein in Rosa's room； just as at Dort he had
watched the dry…room of Cornelius。
He had not been installed more than three days in his attic
before all his doubts were removed。
From morning to sunset the flower…pot was in the window；
and； like those charming female figures of Mieris and
Metzys； Rosa appeared at that window as in a frame； formed
by the first budding sprays of the wild vine and the
honeysuckle encircling her window。
Rosa watched the flower…pot with an interest which betrayed
to Boxtel the real value of the object enclosed in it。
This object could not be anything else but the second bulb；
that is to say； the quintessence of all the hopes of the
prisoner。
When the nights threatened to be too cold； Rosa took in the
flower…pot。
Well； it was then quite evident she was following the
instructions of Cornelius； who was afraid of the bulb being
killed by frost。
When the sun became too hot； Rosa likewise took in the pot
from eleven in the morning until two in the afternoon。
Another proof： Cornelius was afraid lest the soil should
become too dry。
But when the first leaves peeped out of the earth Boxtel was
fully convinced； and his telescope left him no longer in any
uncertainty before they had grown one inch in height。
Cornelius possessed two bulbs； and the second was intrusted
to the love and care of Rosa。
For it may well be imagined that the tender secret of the
two lovers had not escaped the prying curiosity of Boxtel。
The question； therefore； was how to wrest the second bulb
from the care of Rosa。
Certainly this was no easy task。
Rosa watched over her tulip as a mother over her child； or a
dove over her eggs。
Rosa never left her room during the day； and； more than
that； strange to say； she never left it in the evening。
For seven days Boxtel in vain watched Rosa； she was always
at her post。
This happened during those seven days which made Cornelius
so unhappy； depriving him at the same time of all news of
Rosa and of his tulip。
Would the coolness between Rosa and Cornelius last for ever？
This would have made the theft much more difficult than
Mynheer Isaac had at first expected。
We say the theft； for Isaac had simply made up his mind to
steal the tulip； and as it grew in the most profound
secrecy； and as； moreover； his word； being that of a
renowned tulip…grower； would any day be taken against that
of an unknown girl without any knowledge of horticulture； or
against that of a prisoner convicted of high treason； he
confidently hoped that； having once got possession of the
bulb； he would be certain to obtain the prize； and then the
tulip； instead of being called Tulipa nigra Barlaensis；
would go down to posterity under the name of Tulipa nigra
Boxtellensis or Boxtellea。
Mynheer Isaac had not yet quite decided which of these two
names he would give to the tulip； but； as both meant the
same thing； this was； after all； not the important point。
The point was to steal the tulip。 But in order that Boxtel
might steal the tulip； it was necessary that Rosa should
leave her room。
Great therefore was his joy when he saw the usual evening
meetings of the lovers resumed。
He first of all took advantage of Rosa's absence to make
himself fully acquainted with all the peculiarities of the
door of her chamber。 The lock was a double one and in good
order； but Rosa always took the key with her。
Boxtel at first entertained an idea of stealing the key； but
it soon occurred to him； not only that it would be
exceedingly difficult to abstract it from her pocket； but
also that； when she perceived her loss； she would not leave
her room until the lock was changed； and then Boxtel's first
theft would be useless。
He thought it； therefore； better to employ a different
expedient。 He collected as many keys as he could； and tried
all of them during one of those delightful hours which Rosa
and Cornelius passed together at the grating of the cell。
Two of the keys entered the lock； and one of them turned
round once； but not the second time。
There was； therefore； only a little to be done to this key。
Boxtel covered it with a slight coat of wax； and when he
thus renewed the experiment； the obstacle which prevented
the key from being turned a second time left its impression
on the wax。
It cost Boxtel two days more to bring his key to perfection；
with the aid of a small file。
Rosa's door thus opened without noise and without
difficulty； and Boxtel found himself in her room alone with
the tulip。
The first guilty act of Boxtel had been to climb over a wall
in order to dig up the tulip； the second； to introduce
himself into the dry…room of Cornelius； through an open
window； and the third； to enter Rosa's room by means of a
false key。
Thus envy urged Boxtel on with rapid steps in the career of
crime。
Boxtel； as we have said； was alone with the tulip。
A common thief would have taken the pot under his arm； and
carried it off。
But Boxtel was not a common thief； and he reflected。
It was not yet certain； although very probable； that the
tulip would flower black； if； therefore； he stole it now； he
not only might be committing a useless crime； but also the
theft might be discovered in the time which must elapse
until the flower should open。
He therefore as being in possession of the key； he might
enter Rosa's chamber whenever he liked thought it better
to wait and to take it either an hour before or after
opening； and to start on the instant to Haarlem； where the
tulip would be before the judges of the committee before any
one else could put in a reclamation。
Should any one then reclaim it； Boxtel would in his turn
charge him or her with theft。
This was a deep…laid scheme； and quite worthy of its author。
Thus； every evening during that delightful hour which the
two lovers passed together at the grated window； Boxtel
entered Rosa's chamber to watch the progress which the black
tulip had made towards flowering。
On the evening at which we have arrived he was going to
enter according to custom； but the two lovers； as we have
seen； only exchanged a few words before Cornelius sent Rosa
back to watch over the tulip。
Seeing Rosa enter her room ten minutes after she had left
it； Boxtel guessed that the tulip had opened； or was about
to open。
During that night； therefore； the great blow was to be
struck。 Boxtel presented himself before Gryphus with a
double supply of Genievre； that is to say； with a bottle in
each pocket。
Gryphus being once fuddled； Boxtel was very nearly master of
the house。
At eleven o'clock Gryphus was dead drunk。 At two in the
morning Boxtel saw Rosa leaving the chamber； but evidently
she held in her arms something which she carried with great
care。
He did not doubt that this was the black tulip which was in
flower。
But what was she going to do with it？ Would she set out that
instant to Haarlem with it？
It was not possible that a young girl should undertake such
a journey alone during the night。
Was she only going to show the tulip to Cornelius？ This was
more likely。
He followed Rosa in his stocking feet； walking on tiptoe。
He saw her approach the grated window。 He heard her calling
Cornelius。 By the light of the dark lantern he saw the tulip
open； and black as the night in which he was hidden。
He heard the plan concerted between Cornelius and Rosa to
send a messenger to Haarlem。 He saw the lips of the lovers
meet； and then heard Cornelius send Rosa away。
He saw Rosa extinguish the light and return to her chamber。
Ten minutes after； he saw her leave the room again； and lock
it twice。
Boxtel； who saw all this whilst hiding himself on the
landing…place of the staircase above； descended step by step
from his story as Rosa descended from hers； so that； when
she touched with her light foot the lowest step of the
staircase； Boxtel touched with a still lighter hand the lock
of Rosa's chamber。
And in that hand； it must be understood； he held the false
key which opened Rosa's door as easily as did the real one。
And this is why； in the beginning of the chapter； we said
that the poor young people were in great need of the
protection of God。
Chapter 24
The Black Tulip changes Masters
Cornelius remained standing on the spot where Rosa had left him。
He was quite overpowered with the weight of his twofold happiness。
Half an hour passed away。 Already did the first rays of the
sun enter through the iron grating of the prison； when
Cornelius was suddenly