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on seeing his staircase invaded； up to the very
landing…place； by the multitude； which was accompanying； or
rather following； a young man； simply clad in a
violet…coloured velvet； embroidered with silver； who； with a
certain aristocratic slowness； ascended the white stone
steps of the house。
In his wake followed two officers； one of the navy； and the
other of the cavalry。
Van Systens； having found his way through the frightened
domestics； began to bow； almost to prostrate himself before
his visitor； who had been the cause of all this stir。
〃Monseigneur；〃 he called out； 〃Monseigneur！ What
distinguished honour is your Highness bestowing for ever on
my humble house by your visit？〃
〃Dear Mynheer van Systens；〃 said William of Orange； with a
serenity which； with him； took the place of a smile； 〃I am a
true Hollander； I am fond of the water； of beer； and of
flowers； sometimes even of that cheese the flavour of which
seems so grateful to the French； the flower which I prefer
to all others is； of course； the tulip。 I heard at Leyden
that the city of Haarlem at last possessed the black tulip；
and； after having satisfied myself of the truth of news
which seemed so incredible； I have come to know all about it
from the President of the Horticultural Society。〃
〃Oh； Monseigneur； Monseigneur！〃 said Van Systens； 〃what
glory to the society if its endeavours are pleasing to your
Highness！〃
〃Have you got the flower here？〃 said the Prince； who； very
likely； already regretted having made such a long speech。
〃I am sorry to say we have not。〃
〃And where is it？〃
〃With its owner。〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃An honest tulip…grower of Dort。〃
〃His name？〃
〃Boxtel。〃
〃His quarters？〃
〃At the White Swan； I shall send for him； and if in the
meanwhile your Highness will do me the honour of stepping
into my drawing…room； he will be sure knowing that your
Highness is here to lose no time in bringing his tulip。〃
〃Very well； send for him。〃
〃Yes； your Highness； but
〃What is it？〃
〃Oh； nothing of any consequence； Monseigneur。〃
〃Everything is of consequence； Mynheer van Systens。〃
〃Well； then； Monseigneur； if it must be said； a little
difficulty has presented itself。〃
〃What difficulty？〃
〃This tulip has already been claimed by usurpers。 It's true
that it is worth a hundred thousand guilders。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃Yes； Monseigneur； by usurpers； by forgers。〃
〃This is a crime； Mynheer van Systens。〃
〃So it is； your Highness。〃
〃And have you any proofs of their guilt？ '
〃No； Monseigneur； the guilty woman 〃
〃The guilty woman； Sir？〃
〃I ought to say； the woman who claims the tulip；
Monseigneur； is here in the room close by。〃
〃And what do you think of her？〃
〃I think； Monseigneur； that the bait of a hundred thousand
guilders may have tempted her。〃
〃And so she claims the tulip？〃
〃Yes Monseigneur。〃
〃And what proof does she offer？〃
〃I was just going to question her when your Highness came
in。〃
〃Question her； Mynheer van Systens； question her。 I am the
first magistrate of the country； I will hear the case and
administer justice。〃
〃I have found my King Solomon；〃 said Van Systens； bowing；
and showing the way to the Prince。
His Highness was just going to walk ahead； but； suddenly
recollecting himself he said
〃Go before me； and call me plain Mynheer。〃
The two then entered the cabinet。
Rosa was still standing at the same place； leaning on the
window； and looking through the panes into the garden。
〃Ah！ a Frisian girl；〃 said the Prince； as he observed Rosa's
gold brocade headdress and red petticoat。
At the noise of their footsteps she turned round； but
scarcely saw the Prince； who seated himself in the darkest
corner of the apartment。
All her attention； as may be easily imagined； was fixed on
that important person who was called Van Systens； so that
she had no time to notice the humble stranger who was
following the master of the house； and who； for aught she
knew； might be somebody or nobody。
The humble stranger took a book down from the shelf； and
made Van Systens a sign to commence the examination
forthwith。
Van Systens； likewise at the invitation of the young man in
the violet coat； sat down in his turn； and； quite happy and
proud of the importance thus cast upon him； began；
〃My child； you promise to tell me the truth and the entire
truth concerning this tulip？〃
〃I promise。〃
〃Well； then； speak before this gentleman； this gentleman is
one of the members of the Horticultural Society。〃
〃What am I to tell you； sir；〃 said Rosa； 〃beside that which
I have told you already。〃
〃Well； then； what is it？〃
〃I repeat the question I have addressed to you before。〃
〃Which？〃
〃That you will order Mynheer Boxtel to come here with his
tulip。 If I do not recognise it as mine I will frankly tell
it； but if I do recognise it I will reclaim it； even if I go
before his Highness the Stadtholder himself； with my proofs
in my hands。〃
〃You have； then； some proofs； my child？〃
〃God； who knows my good right； will assist me to some。〃
Van Systens exchanged a look with the Prince； who； since the
first words of Rosa； seemed to try to remember her； as if it
were not for the first time that this sweet voice rang in
his ears。
An officer went off to fetch Boxtel； and Van Systens in the
meanwhile continued his examination。
〃And with what do you support your assertion that you are
the real owner of the black tulip？〃
〃With the very simple fact of my having planted and grown it
in my own chamber。〃
〃In your chamber？ Where was your chamber？〃
〃At Loewestein。〃
〃You are from Loewestein？〃
〃I am the daughter of the jailer of the fortress。〃
The Prince made a little movement； as much as to say； 〃Well；
that's it； I remember now。〃
And； all the while feigning to be engaged with his book； he
watched Rosa with even more attention than he had before。
〃And you are fond of flowers？〃 continued Mynheer van
Systens。
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Then you are an experienced florist； I dare say？〃
Rosa hesitated a moment； then with a tone which came from
the depth of her heart； she said；
〃Gentlemen； I am speaking to men of honor。〃
There was such an expression of truth in the tone of her
voice； that Van Systens and the Prince answered
simultaneously by an affirmative movement of their heads。
〃Well； then； I am not an experienced florist； I am only a
poor girl； one of the people； who； three months ago； knew
neither how to read nor how to write。 No； the black tulip
has not been found by myself。〃
〃But by whom else？〃
〃By a poor prisoner of Loewestein。〃
〃By a prisoner of Loewestein？〃 repeated the Prince。
The tone of his voice startled Rosa； who was sure she had
heard it before。
〃By a prisoner of state； then；〃 continued the Prince； 〃as
there are none else there。〃
Having said this he began to read again； at least in
appearance。
〃Yes；〃 said Rosa； with a faltering voice； 〃yes； by a
prisoner of state。〃
Van Systens trembled as he heard such a confession made in
the presence of such a witness。
〃Continue；〃 said William dryly； to the President of the
Horticultural Society。
〃Ah； sir；〃 said Rosa； addressing the person whom she thought
to be her real judge； 〃I am going to incriminate myself very
seriously。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Van Systens； 〃the prisoner of state ought
to be kept in close confinement at Loewestein。〃
〃Alas！ sir。〃
〃And from what you tell me you took advantage of your
position； as daughter of the jailer； to communicate with a
prisoner of state about the cultivation of flowers。〃
〃So it is； sir；〃 Rosa murmured in dismay； 〃yes； I am bound
to confess； I saw him every day。〃
〃Unfortunate girl！〃 exclaimed Van Systens。
The Prince； observing the fright of Rosa and the pallor of
the President； raised his head； and said； in his clear and
decided tone；
〃This cannot signify anything to the members of the
Horticultural Society； they have to judge on the black
tulip； and have no cognizance to take of political offences。
Go on； young woman； go on。〃
Van Systens； by means of an eloquent glance； offered； in the
name of the tulip； his thanks to the new member of the
Horticultural Society。
Rosa； reassured by this sort of encouragement which the
stranger was giving her； related all that had happened for
the last three months； all that she had done； and all that
she had suffered。 She described the cruelty of Gryphus； the
destruction of