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will keep in reserve the third sucker as our last resource；
in case our first two experiments should prove a failure。 In
this manner； my dear Rosa； it is impossible that we should
not succeed in gaining the hundred thousand guilders for
your marriage portion； and how dearly shall we enjoy that
supreme happiness of seeing our work brought to a successful
issue！〃
〃I know it all now；〃 said Rosa。 〃I will bring you the soil
to…morrow； and you will choose it for your bulb and for
mine。 As to that in which yours is to grow； I shall have
several journeys to convey it to you； as I cannot bring much
at a time。〃
〃There is no hurry for it； dear Rosa； our tulips need not be
put into the ground for a month at least。 So you see we have
plenty of time before us。 Only I hope that； in planting your
bulb； you will strictly follow all my instructions。〃
〃I promise you I will。〃
〃And when you have once planted it； you will communicate to
me all the circumstances which may interest our nursling；
such as change of weather； footprints on the walks； or
footprints in the borders。 You will listen at night whether
our garden is not resorted to by cats。 A couple of those
untoward animals laid waste two of my borders at Dort。〃
〃I will listen。〃
〃On moonlight nights have you ever looked at your garden； my
dear child？〃
〃The window of my sleeping…room overlooks it。〃
〃Well； on moonlight nights you will observe whether any rats
come out from the holes in the wall。 The rats are most
mischievous by their gnawing everything； and I have heard
unfortunate tulip…growers complain most bitterly of Noah for
having put a couple of rats in the ark。〃
〃I will observe； and if there are cats or rats 〃
〃You will apprise me of it； that's right。 And； moreover；〃
Van Baerle； having become mistrustful in his captivity；
continued； 〃there is an animal much more to be feared than
even the cat or the rat。〃
〃What animal？〃
〃Man。 You comprehend； my dear Rosa； a man may steal a
guilder； and risk the prison for such a trifle； and；
consequently； it is much more likely that some one might
steal a hundred thousand guilders。〃
〃No one ever enters the garden but myself。〃
〃Thank you； thank you； my dear Rosa。 All the joy of my life
has still to come from you。〃
And as the lips of Van Baerle approached the grating with
the same ardor as the day before； and as； moreover； the hour
for retiring had struck； Rosa drew back her head； and
stretched out her hand。
In this pretty little hand； of which the coquettish damsel
was particularly proud； was the bulb。
Cornelius kissed most tenderly the tips of her fingers。 Did
he do so because the hand kept one of the bulbs of the great
black tulip； or because this hand was Rosa's？ We shall leave
this point to the decision of wiser heads than ours。
Rosa withdrew with the other two suckers； pressing them to
her heart。
Did she press them to her heart because they were the bulbs
of the great black tulip； or because she had them from
Cornelius？
This point； we believe； might be more readily decided than
the other。
However that may have been； from that moment life became
sweet； and again full of interest to the prisoner。
Rosa； as we have seen； had returned to him one of the
suckers。
Every evening she brought to him； handful by handful； a
quantity of soil from that part of the garden which he had
found to be the best； and which； indeed； was excellent。
A large jug； which Cornelius had skilfully broken； did
service as a flower…pot。 He half filled it； and mixed the
earth of the garden with a small portion of dried river mud；
a mixture which formed an excellent soil。
Then； at the beginning of April； he planted his first sucker
in that jug。
Not a day passed on which Rosa did not come to have her chat
with Cornelius。
The tulips； concerning whose cultivation Rosa was taught all
the mysteries of the art； formed the principal topic of the
conversation； but； interesting as the subject was； people
cannot always talk about tulips。
They therefore began to chat also about other things； and
the tulip…fancier found out to his great astonishment what a
vast range of subjects a conversation may comprise。
Only Rosa had made it a habit to keep her pretty face
invariably six inches distant from the grating； having
perhaps become distrustful of herself。
There was one thing especially which gave Cornelius almost
as much anxiety as his bulbs a subject to which he always
returned the dependence of Rosa on her father。
Indeed； Van Baerle's happiness depended on the whim of this
man。 He might one day find Loewestein dull； or the air of
the place unhealthy； or the gin bad； and leave the fortress；
and take his daughter with him； when Cornelius and Rosa
would again be separated。
〃Of what use would the carrier pigeons then be？〃 said
Cornelius to Rosa； 〃as you； my dear girl； would not be able
to read what I should write to you； nor to write to me your
thoughts in return。〃
〃Well；〃 answered Rosa； who in her heart was as much afraid
of a separation as Cornelius himself； 〃we have one hour
every evening； let us make good use of it。〃
〃I don't think we make such a bad use of it as it is。〃
〃Let us employ it even better；〃 said Rosa； smiling。 〃Teach
me to read and write。 I shall make the best of your lessons；
believe me； and； in this way； we shall never be separated
any more； except by our own will。〃
〃Oh； then； we have an eternity before us；〃 said Cornelius。
Rosa smiled； and quietly shrugged her shoulders。
〃Will you remain for ever in prison？〃 she said； 〃and after
having granted you your life； will not his Highness also
grant you your liberty？ And will you not then recover your
fortune； and be a rich man； and then； when you are driving
in your own coach； riding your own horse； will you still
look at poor Rosa； the daughter of a jailer； scarcely better
than a hangman？〃
Cornelius tried to contradict her； and certainly he would
have done so with all his heart； and with all the sincerity
of a soul full of love。
She； however； smilingly interrupted him； saying； 〃How is
your tulip going on？〃
To speak to Cornelius of his tulip was an expedient resorted
to by her to make him forget everything； even Rosa herself。
〃Very well； indeed；〃 he said； 〃the coat is growing black；
the sprouting has commenced； the veins of the bulb are
swelling； in eight days hence； and perhaps sooner； we may
distinguish the first buds of the leaves protruding。 And
yours Rosa？〃
〃Oh； I have done things on a large scale； and according to
your directions。〃
〃Now； let me hear； Rosa； what you have done；〃 said
Cornelius； with as tender an anxiety as he had lately shown
to herself。
〃Well；〃 she said； smiling； for in her own heart she could
not help studying this double love of the prisoner for
herself and for the black tulip； 〃I have done things on a
large scale； I have prepared a bed as you described it to
me； on a clear spot； far from trees and walls； in a soil
slightly mixed with sand； rather moist than dry without a
fragment of stone or pebble。〃
〃Well done； Rosa； well done。〃
〃I am now only waiting for your further orders to put in the
bulb； you know that I must be behindhand with you； as I have
in my favour all the chances of good air； of the sun； and
abundance of moisture。〃
〃All true； all true；〃 exclaimed Cornelius； clapping his
hands with joy； 〃you are a good pupil； Rosa； and you are
sure to gain your hundred thousand guilders。〃
〃Don't forget；〃 said Rosa； smiling； 〃that your pupil； as you
call me； has still other things to learn besides the
cultivation of tulips。〃
〃Yes； yes； and I am as anxious as you are； Rosa； that you
should learn to read。〃
〃When shall we begin？〃
〃At once。〃
〃No； to…morrow。〃
〃Why to…morrow？〃
〃Because to…day our hour is expired； and I must leave you。〃
〃Already？ But what shall we read？〃
〃Oh；〃 said Rosa； 〃I have a book； a book which I hope will
bring us luck。〃
〃To…morrow； then。〃
〃Yes； to…morrow。〃
On the following evening Rosa returned with the Bible of
Cornelius de Witt。
Chapter 17
The First Bulb
On the following evening； as we have said； Rosa returned
with the Bible of Cornelius de Witt。
Then began between the master and the pupil one of those
charming scenes which are the delight of the novelist who
has to describe them。
The grated window； the only opening through which the two
lovers were able to communicate； was too high for
conveniently reading a book； although it had been quite
convenient