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That evening Cornelius was one of the happiest of men。 Rosa
allowed him to press her hand in his； and to keep it as long
as he would； besides which he might talk of his tulip as
much as he liked。
From that hour every day marked some progress in the growth
of the tulip and in the affection of the two young people。
At one time it was that the leaves had expanded； and at
another that the flower itself had formed。
Great was the joy of Cornelius at this news； and his
questions succeeded one another with a rapidity which gave
proof of their importance。
〃Formed！〃 exclaimed Cornelius； 〃is it really formed？〃
〃It is；〃 repeated Rosa。
Cornelius trembled with joy； so much so that he was obliged
to hold by the grating。
〃Good heavens！〃 he exclaimed。
Then； turning again to Rosa； he continued his questions。
〃Is the oval regular？ the cylinder full？ and are the points
very green？〃
〃The oval is almost one inch long； and tapers like a needle；
the cylinder swells at the sides； and the points are ready
to open。〃
Two days after Rosa announced that they were open。
〃Open； Rosa！〃 cried Cornelius。 〃Is the involucrum open？ but
then one may see and already distinguish 〃
Here the prisoner paused； anxiously taking breath。
〃Yes；〃 answered Rosa； 〃one may already distinguish a thread
of different colour； as thin as a hair。〃
〃And its colour？〃 asked Cornelius； trembling。
〃Oh；〃 answered Rosa； 〃it is very dark！〃
〃Brown？〃
〃Darker than that。〃
〃Darker； my good Rosa； darker？ Thank you。 Dark as 〃
〃Dark as the ink with which I wrote to you。〃
Cornelius uttered a cry of mad joy。
Then； suddenly stopping and clasping his hands； he said；
〃Oh； there is not an angel in heaven that may be compared to
you； Rosa！〃
〃Indeed！〃 said Rosa； smiling at his enthusiasm。
〃Rosa； you have worked with such ardour； you have done so
much for me！ Rosa； my tulip is about to flower； and it will
flower black！ Rosa； Rosa； you are the most perfect being on
earth！〃
〃After the tulip； though。〃
〃Ah！ be quiet； you malicious little creature； be quiet！ For
shame！ Do not spoil my pleasure。 But tell me； Rosa； as
the tulip is so far advanced； it will flower in two or three
days； at the latest？〃
〃To…morrow； or the day after。〃
〃Ah！ and I shall not see it；〃 cried Cornelius； starting
back； 〃I shall not kiss it； as a wonderful work of the
Almighty； as I kiss your hand and your cheek； Rosa； when by
chance they are near the grating。〃
Rosa drew near； not by accident； but intentionally； and
Cornelius kissed her tenderly。
〃Faith； I shall cull it； if you wish it。〃
〃Oh； no； no； Rosa！ when it is open； place it carefully in
the shade； and immediately send a message to Haarlem； to the
President of the Horticultural Society； that the grand black
tulip is in flower。 I know well it is far to Haarlem； but
with money you will find a messenger。 Have you any money；
Rosa？〃
Rosa smiled。
〃Oh； yes！〃 she said。
〃Enough？〃 said Cornelius。
〃I have three hundred guilders。〃
〃Oh； if you have three hundred guilders； you must not send a
messenger； Rosa； but you must go to Haarlem yourself。〃
〃But what in the meantime is to become of the flower？〃
〃Oh； the flower！ you must take it with you。 You understand
that you must not separate from it for an instant。〃
〃But whilst I am not separating from it； I am separating
from you； Mynheer Cornelius。〃
〃Ah！ that's true； my sweet Rosa。 Oh； my God！ how wicked men
are！ What have I done to offend them； and why have they
deprived me of my liberty？ You are right； Rosa； I cannot
live without you。 Well； you will send some one to Haarlem；
that's settled； really； the matter is wonderful enough
for the President to put himself to some trouble。 He will
come himself to Loewestein to see the tulip。〃
Then； suddenly checking himself； he said； with a faltering
voice；
〃Rosa； Rosa； if after all it should not flower black！〃
〃Oh； surely； surely； you will know to…morrow； or the day
after。〃
〃And to wait until evening to know it； Rosa！ I shall die
with impatience。 Could we not agree about a signal？〃
〃I shall do better than that。〃
〃What will you do？〃
〃If it opens at night； I shall come and tell you myself。 If
it is day； I shall pass your door； and slip you a note
either under the door； or through the grating； during the
time between my father's first and second inspection。〃
〃Yes； Rosa； let it be so。 One word of yours； announcing this
news to me； will be a double happiness。〃
〃There； ten o'clock strikes；〃 said Rosa； 〃I must now leave
you。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Cornelius； 〃go； Rosa； go！〃
Rosa withdrew； almost melancholy； for Cornelius had all but
sent her away。
It is true that he did so in order that she might watch over
his black tulip。
Chapter 22
The Opening of the Flower
The night passed away very sweetly for Cornelius； although
in great agitation。 Every instant he fancied he heard the
gentle voice of Rosa calling him。 He then started up； went
to the door； and looked through the grating； but no one was
behind it； and the lobby was empty。
Rosa； no doubt； would be watching too； but； happier than he；
she watched over the tulip； she had before her eyes that
noble flower； that wonder of wonders。 which not only was
unknown； but was not even thought possible until then。
What would the world say when it heard that the black tulip
was found； that it existed and that it was the prisoner Van
Baerle who had found it？
How Cornelius would have spurned the offer of his liberty in
exchange for his tulip！
Day came； without any news； the tulip was not yet in flower。
The day passed as the night。 Night came； and with it Rosa；
joyous and cheerful as a bird。
〃Well？〃 asked Cornelius。
〃Well； all is going on prosperously。 This night； without any
doubt； our tulip will be in flower。〃
〃And will it flower black？〃
〃Black as jet。〃
〃Without a speck of any other colour。〃
〃Without one speck。〃
〃Good Heavens！ my dear Rosa； I have been dreaming all night；
in the first place of you；〃 （Rosa made a sign of
incredulity；） 〃and then of what we must do。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； and I will tell you now what I have decided on。 The
tulip once being in flower； and it being quite certain that
it is perfectly black； you must find a messenger。〃
〃If it is no more than that； I have a messenger quite
ready。〃
〃Is he safe？〃
〃One for whom I will answer； he is one of my lovers。〃
〃I hope not Jacob。〃
〃No； be quiet； it is the ferryman of Loewestein； a smart
young man of twenty…five。〃
〃By Jove！〃
〃Be quiet；〃 said Rosa； smiling； 〃he is still under age； as
you have yourself fixed it from twenty…six to twenty…eight。〃
〃In fine； do you think you may rely on this young man？〃
〃As on myself； he would throw himself into the Waal or the
Meuse if I bade him。〃
〃Well； Rosa； this lad may be at Haarlem in ten hours； you
will give me paper and pencil； and； perhaps better still；
pen and ink； and I will write； or rather； on second
thoughts； you will； for if I did； being a poor prisoner；
people might； like your father； see a conspiracy in it。 You
will write to the President of the Horticultural Society；
and I am sure he will come。〃
〃But if he tarries？〃
〃Well； let us suppose that he tarries one day； or even two；
but it is impossible。 A tulip…fancier like him will not
tarry one hour； not one minute； not one second； to set out
to see the eighth wonder of the world。 But； as I said； if he
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？〃