sun enter through the iron grating of the prison； when
Cornelius was suddenly startled at the noise of steps which
came up the staircase； and of cries which approached nearer
and nearer。
Almost at the same instant he saw before him the pale and
distracted face of Rosa。
He started； and turned pale with fright。
〃Cornelius； Cornelius！〃 she screamed； gasping for breath。
〃Good Heaven！ what is it？〃 asked the prisoner。
〃Cornelius！ the tulip 〃
〃Well？〃
〃How shall I tell you？〃
〃Speak； speak； Rosa！〃
〃Some one has taken stolen it from us。〃
〃Stolen taken？〃 said Cornelius。
〃Yes；〃 said Rosa； leaning against the door to support
herself； 〃yes； taken； stolen！〃
And saying this； she felt her limbs failing her； and she
fell on her knees。
〃But how？ Tell me； explain to me。〃
〃Oh； it is not my fault； my friend。〃
Poor Rosa！ she no longer dared to call him 〃My beloved one。〃
〃You have then left it alone；〃 said Cornelius； ruefully。
〃One minute only； to instruct our messenger； who lives
scarcely fifty yards off； on the banks of the Waal。〃
〃And during that time； notwithstanding all my injunctions；
you left the key behind； unfortunate child！〃
〃No； no； no！ this is what I cannot understand。 The key was
never out of my hands； I clinched it as if I were afraid it
would take wings。〃
〃But how did it happen； then？〃
〃That's what I cannot make out。 I had given the letter to my
messenger； he started before I left his house； I came home；
and my door was locked； everything in my room was as I had
left it； except the tulip； that was gone。 Some one must
have had a key for my room； or have got a false one made on
purpose。〃
She was nearly choking with sobs； and was unable to
continue。
Cornelius； immovable and full of consternation； heard almost
without understanding； and only muttered；
〃Stolen； stolen； and I am lost！〃
〃O Cornelius； forgive me； forgive me； it will kill me！〃
Seeing Rosa's distress； Cornelius seized the iron bars of
the grating； and furiously shaking them； called out；
〃Rosa； Rosa； we have been robbed； it is true； but shall we
allow ourselves to be dejected for all that？ No； no； the
misfortune is great； but it may perhaps be remedied。 Rosa；
we know the thief！〃
〃Alas！ what can I say about it？〃
〃But I say that it is no one else but that infamous Jacob。
Shall we allow him to carry to Haarlem the fruit of our
labour； the fruit of our sleepless nights； the child of our
love？ Rosa； we must pursue； we must overtake him！〃
〃But how can we do all this； my friend； without letting my
father know we were in communication with each other？ How
should I； a poor girl； with so little knowledge of the world
and its ways； be able to attain this end； which perhaps you
could not attain yourself？〃
〃Rosa； Rosa； open this door to me； and you will see whether
I will not find the thief； whether I will not make him
confess his crime and beg for mercy。〃
〃Alas！〃 cried Rosa； sobbing； 〃can I open the door for you？
have I the keys？ If I had had them； would not you have been
free long ago？〃
〃Your father has them； your wicked father； who has
already crushed the first bulb of my tulip。 Oh； the wretch！
he is an accomplice of Jacob！〃
〃Don't speak so loud； for Heaven's sake！〃
〃Oh； Rosa； if you don't open the door to me；〃 Cornelius
cried in his rage； 〃I shall force these bars； and kill
everything I find in the prison。〃
〃Be merciful； be merciful； my friend！〃
〃I tell you； Rosa； that I shall demolish this prison； stone
for stone！〃 and the unfortunate man； whose strength was
increased tenfold by his rage； began to shake the door with
a great noise； little heeding that the thunder of his voice
was re…echoing through the spiral staircase。
Rosa； in her fright； made vain attempts to check this
furious outbreak。
〃I tell you that I shall kill that infamous Gryphus？〃 roared
Cornelius。 〃I tell you I shall shed his blood as he did that
of my black tulip。〃
The wretched prisoner began really to rave。
〃Well； then； yes；〃 said Rosa； all in a tremble。 〃Yes； yes；
only be quiet。 Yes； yes； I will take his keys； I will open
the door for you！ Yes； only be quiet； my own dear
Cornelius。〃
She did not finish her speech； as a growl by her side
interrupted her。
〃My father！〃 cried Rosa。
〃Gryphus！〃 roared Van Baerle。 〃Oh； you villain！〃
Old Gryphus； in the midst of all the noise； had ascended the
staircase without being heard。
He rudely seized his daughter by the wrist。
〃So you will take my keys？〃 he said； in a voice choked with
rage。 〃Ah！ this dastardly fellow； this monster； this
gallows…bird of a conspirator； is your own dear Cornelius；
is he？ Ah！ Missy has communications with prisoners of state。
Ah！ won't I teach you won't I？〃
Rosa clasped her hands in despair。
〃Ah！〃 Gryphus continued； passing from the madness of anger
to the cool irony of a man who has got the better of his
enemy； 〃Ah； you innocent tulip…fancier； you gentle
scholar； you will kill me； and drink my blood！ Very well！
very well！ And you have my daughter for an accomplice。 Am I；
forsooth； in a den of thieves； in a cave of brigands？
Yes； but the Governor shall know all to…morrow； and his
Highness the Stadtholder the day after。 We know the law；
we shall give a second edition of the Buytenhof； Master
Scholar； and a good one this time。 Yes； yes； just gnaw your
paws like a bear in his cage； and you； my fine little lady；
devour your dear Cornelius with your eyes。 I tell you； my
lambkins； you shall not much longer have the felicity of
conspiring together。 Away with you； unnatural daughter！ And
as to you； Master Scholar； we shall see each other again。
Just be quiet； we shall。〃
Rosa； beyond herself with terror and despair； kissed her
hands to her friend； then； suddenly struck with a bright
thought； she rushed toward the staircase； saying；
〃All is not yet lost； Cornelius。 Rely on me； my Cornelius。〃
Her father followed her； growling。
As to poor Cornelius； he gradually loosened his hold of the
bars； which his fingers still grasped convulsively。 His head
was heavy； his eyes almost started from their sockets； and
he fell heavily on the floor of his cell； muttering；
〃Stolen！ it has been stolen from me！〃
During this time Boxtel had left the fortress by the door
which Rosa herself had opened。 He carried the black tulip
wrapped up in a cloak； and； throwing himself into a coach；
which was waiting for him at Gorcum； he drove off； without；
as may well be imagined； having informed his friend Gryphus
of his sudden departure。
And now； as we have seen him enter his coach； we shall with
the consent of the reader； follow him to the end of his
journey。
He proceeded but slowly； as the black tulip could not bear
travelling post…haste。
But Boxtel； fearing that he might not arrive early enough；
procured at Delft a box； lined all round with fresh moss； in
which he packed the tulip。 The flower was so lightly pressed
upon all sides； with a supply of air from above； that the
coach could now travel full speed without any possibility of
injury to the tulip。
He arrived next morning at Haarlem； fatigued but triumphant；
and； to do away with every trace of the theft； he
transplanted the tulip； and； breaking the original
flower…pot； threw the pieces into the canal。 After which he
wrote the President of the Horticultural Society a letter；
in which he announced to him that he had just arrived at
Haarlem with a perfectly black tulip； and； with his flower
all safe； took up his quarters at a good hotel in the town；
and there he waited。
Chapter 25
The President van Systens
Rosa； on leaving Cornelius； had fixed on her plan； which was
no other than to restore to Cornelius the stolen tulip； or
never to see him again。
She had seen the despair of the prisoner； and she knew that
it was derived from a double source； and that it was
incurable。
On the one hand； separation became inevitable； Gryphus
having at the same time surprised the secret of their love
and of their secret meetings。
On the other hand； all the hopes on the fulfilment of which
Cornelius van Baerle had rested his ambition for the last
seven years were now crushed。
Rosa was one of those women who are dejected by trifles； but
who in great emergencies are supplied by the misfortune
itself with the energy for combating or with the resources
for remedying it。
She went to her room； and cast a last glance about her to
see whether she had not been mistaken； and whether the tulip
was not stowed away in some corner where it had escaped her
notice。 But she sought in vain； the tulip was still missing；
the tulip was indeed stolen。
Rosa made up a little parcel of things indispensable for a
journey； took her three hundred guilders； that is to say；
all her fortune； fetched the third bulb from among her
lace； where she had laid it up； and carefully hid it in her
bosom； after which she locked her door twice to disguise her
flight as long as possible； and； leaving the prison by the
same door which an hour before had let out Boxtel； she went
to a stable…keeper to hire a carriage。
The man had only a two…wheel chaise； and this was the
vehicle which Boxtel had hired since last evening； and in
which he was now driving along the road to Delft； for the
road from Loewestein to Haarlem； owing to the many canals；
rivers； and rivulets intersecting the country； is
exceedingly circuitous。
Not being able to procure a vehicle； Rosa was obliged to
take a horse； with which the stable…keeper readily intrusted
her； knowing her to be the daughter of the jailer of the
fortress。
Rosa hoped to overtake her messenger； a kind…hearted and
honest lad； whom she would take with her； and who might at
the same time serve her as a guide and a protector。
And in fact she had not proceeded more than a league before
she saw him hastening along one of the side paths of a very
pretty road by the river。 Setting her horse off at a canter；
she soon came up with him。
The