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unable to extinguish in Cornelius the sweet thoughts； and
especially the sweet hope； which the presence of Rosa had
reawakened in his heart。
He waited eagerly to hear the clock of the tower of
Loewestein strike nine。
The last chime was still vibrating through the air； when
Cornelius heard on the staircase the light step and the
rustle of the flowing dress of the fair Frisian maid； and
soon after a light appeared at the little grated window in
the door； on which the prisoner fixed his earnest gaze。
The shutter opened on the outside。
〃Here I am；〃 said Rosa； out of breath from running up the
stairs； 〃here I am。〃
〃Oh； my good Rosa。〃
〃You are then glad to see me？〃
〃Can you ask？ But how did you contrive to get here？ tell
me。〃
〃Now listen to me。 My father falls asleep every evening
almost immediately after his supper； I then make him lie
down； a little stupefied with his gin。 Don't say anything
about it； because； thanks to this nap； I shall be able to
come every evening and chat for an hour with you。〃
〃Oh； I thank you； Rosa； dear Rosa。〃
Saying these words； Cornelius put his face so near the
little window that Rosa withdrew hers。
〃I have brought back to you your bulbs。〃
Cornelius's heart leaped with joy。 He had not yet dared to
ask Rosa what she had done with the precious treasure which
he had intrusted to her。
〃Oh； you have preserved them； then？〃
〃Did you not give them to me as a thing which was dear to
you？〃
〃Yes； but as I have given them to you； it seems to me that
they belong to you。〃
〃They would have belonged to me after your death； but；
fortunately； you are alive now。 Oh how I blessed his
Highness in my heart！ If God grants to him all the happiness
that I have wished him； certainly Prince William will be the
happiest man on earth。 When I looked at the Bible of your
godfather Cornelius； I was resolved to bring back to you
your bulbs； only I did not know how to accomplish it。 I had；
however； already formed the plan of going to the
Stadtholder； to ask from him for my father the appointment
of jailer of Loewestein； when your housekeeper brought me
your letter。 Oh； how we wept together！ But your letter only
confirmed me the more in my resolution。 I then left for
Leyden； and the rest you know。〃
〃What； my dear Rosa； you thought； even before receiving my
letter； of coming to meet me again？〃
〃If I thought of it；〃 said Rosa； allowing her love to get
the better of her bashfulness； 〃I thought of nothing else。〃
And； saying these words； Rosa looked so exceedingly pretty；
that for the second time Cornelius placed his forehead and
lips against the wire grating； of course； we must presume
with the laudable desire to thank the young lady。
Rosa； however； drew back as before。
〃In truth；〃 she said； with that coquetry which somehow or
other is in the heart of every young girl； 〃I have often
been sorry that I am not able to read； but never so much so
as when your housekeeper brought me your letter。 I kept the
paper in my hands； which spoke to other people； and which
was dumb to poor stupid me。〃
〃So you have often regretted not being able to read；〃 said
Cornelius。 〃I should just like to know on what occasions。〃
〃Troth；〃 she said； laughing； 〃to read all the letters which
were written to me。〃
〃Oh； you received letters； Rosa？〃
〃By hundreds。〃
〃But who wrote to you？〃
〃Who！ why； in the first place； all the students who passed
over the Buytenhof； all the officers who went to parade； all
the clerks； and even the merchants who saw me at my little
window。〃
〃And what did you do with all these notes； my dear Rosa？〃
〃Formerly；〃 she answered； 〃I got some friend to read them to
me； which was capital fun； but since a certain time well；
what use is it to attend to all this nonsense？ since a
certain time I have burnt them。〃
〃Since a certain time！〃 exclaimed Cornelius； with a look
beaming with love and joy。
Rosa cast down her eyes； blushing。 In her sweet confusion；
she did not observe the lips of Cornelius； which； alas！ only
met the cold wire…grating。 Yet； in spite of this obstacle；
they communicated to the lips of the young girl the glowing
breath of the most tender kiss。
At this sudden outburst of tenderness； Rosa grew very pale；
perhaps paler than she had been on the day of the
execution。 She uttered a plaintive sob； closed her fine
eyes； and fled； trying in vain to still the beating of her
heart。
And thus Cornelius was again alone。
Rosa had fled so precipitately； that she completely forgot
to return to Cornelius the three bulbs of the Black Tulip。
Chapter 16
Master and Pupil
The worthy Master Gryphus； as the reader may have seen； was
far from sharing the kindly feeling of his daughter for the
godson of Cornelius de Witt。
There being only five prisoners at Loewestein； the post of
turnkey was not a very onerous one； but rather a sort of
sinecure； given after a long period of service。
But the worthy jailer； in his zeal； had magnified with all
the power of his imagination the importance of his office。
To him Cornelius had swelled to the gigantic proportions of
a criminal of the first order。 He looked upon him；
therefore； as the most dangerous of all his prisoners。 He
watched all his steps； and always spoke to him with an angry
countenance； punishing him for what he called his dreadful
rebellion against such a clement prince as the Stadtholder。
Three times a day he entered Van Baerle's cell； expecting to
find him trespassing； but Cornelius had ceased to
correspond； since his correspondent was at hand。 It is even
probable that； if Cornelius had obtained his full liberty；
with permission to go wherever he liked； the prison； with
Rosa and his bulbs； would have appeared to him preferable to
any other habitation in the world without Rosa and his
bulbs。
Rosa； in fact； had promised to come and see him every
evening； and from the first evening she had kept her word。
On the following evening she went up as before； with the
same mysteriousness and the same precaution。 Only she had
this time resolved within herself not to approach too near
the grating。 In order； however； to engage Van Baerle in a
conversation from the very first which would seriously
occupy his attention； she tendered to him through the
grating the three bulbs； which were still wrapped up in the
same paper。
But to the great astonishment of Rosa； Van Baerle pushed
back her white hand with the tips of his fingers。
The young man had been considering about the matter。
〃Listen to me；〃 he said。 〃I think we should risk too much by
embarking our whole fortune in one ship。 Only think； my dear
Rosa； that the question is to carry out an enterprise which
until now has been considered impossible； namely； that of
making the great black tulip flower。 Let us； therefore； take
every possible precaution； so that in case of a failure we
may not have anything to reproach ourselves with。 I will now
tell you the way I have traced out for us。〃
Rosa was all attention to what he would say； much more on
account of the importance which the unfortunate
tulip…fancier attached to it； than that she felt interested
in the matter herself。
〃I will explain to you； Rosa；〃 he said。 〃I dare say you have
in this fortress a small garden； or some courtyard； or； if
not that； at least some terrace。〃
〃We have a very fine garden；〃 said Rosa； 〃it runs along the
edge of the Waal； and is full of fine old trees。〃
〃Could you bring me some soil from the garden； that I may
judge？〃
〃I will do so to…morrow。〃
〃Take some from a sunny spot； and some from a shady； so that
I may judge of its properties in a dry and in a moist
state。〃
〃Be assured I shall。〃
〃After having chosen the soil； and； if it be necessary；
modified it； we will divide our three bulbs； you will take
one and plant it； on the day that I will tell you； in the
soil chosen by me。 It is sure to flower； if you tend it
according to my directions。〃
〃I will not lose sight of it for a minute。〃
〃You will give me another； which I will try to grow here in
my cell； and which will help me to beguile those long weary
hours when I cannot see you。 I confess to you I have very
little hope for the latter one； and I look beforehand on
this unfortunate bulb as sacrificed to my selfishness。
However； the sun sometimes visits me。 I will； besides； try
to convert everything into an artificial help； even the heat
and the ashes of my pipe； and lastly； we； or rather you；
will keep in reserve the third sucker as our last resource；
in case our first two e