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〃A very great one； sir； yet not to it； but to me。〃
〃What？〃
〃It has been stolen from me。〃
〃Stolen！ the black tulip？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Do you know the thief？〃
〃I have my suspicions； but I must not yet accuse any one。〃
〃But the matter may very easily be ascertained。〃
〃How is that？〃
〃As it has been stolen from you； the thief cannot be far
off。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I have seen the black tulip only two hours ago。〃
〃You have seen the black tulip！〃 cried Rosa； rushing up to
Mynheer van Systens。
〃As I see you； miss。〃
〃But where？〃
〃Well； with your master； of course。〃
〃With my master？〃
〃Yes； are you not in the service of Master Isaac Boxtel？〃
〃I？〃
〃Yes； you。〃
〃But for whom do you take me； sir？〃
〃And for whom do you take me？〃
〃I hope； sir； I take you for what you are； that is to
say； for the honorable Mynheer van Systens； Burgomaster of
Haarlem； and President of the Horticultural Society。〃
〃And what is it you told me just now？〃
〃I told you； sir； that my tulip has been stolen。〃
〃Then your tulip is that of Mynheer Boxtel。 Well； my child；
you express yourself very badly。 The tulip has been stolen；
not from you； but from Mynheer Boxtel。〃
〃I repeat to you； sir； that I do not know who this Mynheer
Boxtel is； and that I have now heard his name pronounced for
the first time。〃
〃You do not know who Mynheer Boxtel is； and you also had a
black tulip？〃
〃But is there any other besides mine？〃 asked Rosa；
trembling。
〃Yes； that of Mynheer Boxtel。〃
〃How is it？〃
〃Black； of course。〃
〃Without speck？〃
〃Without a single speck； or even point。〃
〃And you have this tulip； you have it deposited here？〃
〃No； but it will be； as it has to be exhibited before the
committee previous to the prize being awarded。〃
〃Oh； sir！〃 cried Rosa； 〃this Boxtel this Isaac Boxtel
who calls himself the owner of the black tulip 〃
〃And who is its owner？〃
〃Is he not a very thin man？〃
〃Bald？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃With sunken eyes？〃
〃I think he has。〃
〃Restless； stooping； and bowlegged？〃
〃In truth； you draw Master Boxtel's portrait feature by
feature。〃
〃And the tulip； sir？ Is it not in a pot of white and blue
earthenware； with yellowish flowers in a basket on three
sides？〃
〃Oh； as to that I am not quite sure； I looked more at the
flower than at the pot。〃
〃Oh； sir！ that's my tulip； which has been stolen from me。 I
came here to reclaim it before you and from you。〃
〃Oh！ oh！〃 said Van Systens； looking at Rosa。 〃What！ you are
here to claim the tulip of Master Boxtel？ Well； I must say；
you are cool enough。〃
〃Honoured sir；〃 a little put out by this apostrophe； 〃I do
not say that I am coming to claim the tulip of Master
Boxtel； but to reclaim my own。〃
〃Yours？〃
〃Yes； the one which I have myself planted and nursed。〃
〃Well； then； go and find out Master Boxtel； at the White
Swan Inn； and you can then settle matters with him； as for
me； considering that the cause seems to me as difficult to
judge as that which was brought before King Solomon； and
that I do not pretend to be as wise as he was； I shall
content myself with making my report； establishing the
existence of the black tulip； and ordering the hundred
thousand guilders to be paid to its grower。 Good…bye； my
child。〃
〃Oh； sir； sir！〃 said Rosa； imploringly。
〃Only； my child；〃 continued Van Systens； 〃as you are young
and pretty； and as there may be still some good in you； I'll
give you some good advice。 Be prudent in this matter； for we
have a court of justice and a prison here at Haarlem； and；
moreover； we are exceedingly ticklish as far as the honour
of our tulips is concerned。 Go； my child； go； remember；
Master Isaac Boxtel at the White Swan Inn。〃
And Mynheer van Systens； taking up his fine pen； resumed his
report； which had been interrupted by Rosa's visit。
Chapter 26
A Member of the Horticultural Society
Rosa； beyond herself and nearly mad with joy and fear at the
idea of the black tulip being found again； started for the
White Swan； followed by the boatman； a stout lad from
Frisia； who was strong enough to knock down a dozen Boxtels
single…handed。
He had been made acquainted in the course of the journey
with the state of affairs； and was not afraid of any
encounter； only he had orders； in such a case； to spare the
tulip。
But on arriving in the great market…place Rosa at once
stopped； a sudden thought had struck her； just as Homer's
Minerva seizes Achilles by the hair at the moment when he is
about to be carried away by his anger。
〃Good Heaven！〃 she muttered to herself； 〃I have made a
grievous blunder； it may be I have ruined Cornelius； the
tulip； and myself。 I have given the alarm； and perhaps
awakened suspicion。 I am but a woman； these men may league
themselves against me； and then I shall be lost。 If I am
lost that matters nothing； but Cornelius and the tulip！〃
She reflected for a moment。
〃If I go to that Boxtel； and do not know him； if that Boxtel
is not my Jacob； but another fancier； who has also
discovered the black tulip； or if my tulip has been stolen
by some one else； or has already passed into the hands of a
third person； if I do not recognize the man； only the
tulip； how shall I prove that it belongs to me？ On the other
hand； if I recognise this Boxtel as Jacob； who knows what
will come out of it？ whilst we are contesting with each
other； the tulip will die。〃
In the meanwhile； a great noise was heard； like the distant
roar of the sea； at the other extremity of the market…place。
People were running about； doors opening and shutting； Rosa
alone was unconscious of all this hubbub among the
multitude。
〃We must return to the President；〃 she muttered。
〃Well； then； let us return；〃 said the boatman。
They took a small street； which led them straight to the
mansion of Mynheer van Systens； who with his best pen in his
finest hand continued to draw up his report。
Everywhere on her way Rosa heard people speaking only of the
black tulip； and the prize of a hundred thousand guilders。
The news had spread like wildfire through the town。
Rosa had not a little difficulty is penetrating a second
time into the office of Mynheer van Systens； who； however；
was again moved by the magic name of the black tulip。
But when he recognised Rosa； whom in his own mind he had set
down as mad； or even worse； he grew angry； and wanted to
send her away。
Rosa； however； clasped her hands； and said with that tone of
honest truth which generally finds its way to the hearts of
men；
〃For Heaven's sake； sir； do not turn me away； listen to what
I have to tell you； and if it be not possible for you to do
me justice； at least you will not one day have to reproach
yourself before God for having made yourself the accomplice
of a bad action。〃
Van Systens stamped his foot with impatience； it was the
second time that Rosa interrupted him in the midst of a
composition which stimulated his vanity； both as a
burgomaster and as President of the Horticultural Society。
〃But my report！〃 he cried； 〃my report on the black
tulip！〃
〃Mynheer van Systens；〃 Rosa continued； with the firmness of
innocence and truth； 〃your report on the black tulip will；
if you don't hear me； be based on crime or on falsehood。 I
implore you； sir； let this Master Boxtel； whom I assert to
be Master Jacob； be brought here before you and me； and I
swear that I will leave him in undisturbed possession of the
tulip if I do not recognise the flower and its holder。〃
〃Well； I declare； here is a proposal；〃 said Van Systens。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I ask you what can be proved by your recognising them？〃
〃After all；〃 said Rosa； in her despair； 〃you are an honest
man； sir； how would you feel if one day you found out that
you had given the prize to a man for something which he not
only had not produced； but which he had even stolen？〃
Rosa's speech seemed to have brought a certain conviction
into the heart of Van Systens； and he was going to answer
her in a gentler tone； when at once a great noise was heard
in the street； and loud cheers shook the house。
〃What is this？〃 cried the burgomaster； 〃what is this？ Is it
possible？ have I heard aright？〃
And he rushed towards his anteroom； without any longer
heeding Rosa； whom he left in his cabinet。
Scarcely had he reached his anteroom when he cried out aloud
on seeing his staircase invaded； up to the very
landing…place； by the multitude； which was accompanying； or