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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

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