the black tulip-第38节
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as may well be imagined； having informed his friend Gryphus
of his sudden departure。
And now； as we have seen him enter his coach； we shall with
the consent of the reader； follow him to the end of his
journey。
He proceeded but slowly； as the black tulip could not bear
travelling post…haste。
But Boxtel； fearing that he might not arrive early enough；
procured at Delft a box； lined all round with fresh moss； in
which he packed the tulip。 The flower was so lightly pressed
upon all sides； with a supply of air from above； that the
coach could now travel full speed without any possibility of
injury to the tulip。
He arrived next morning at Haarlem； fatigued but triumphant；
and； to do away with every trace of the theft； he
transplanted the tulip； and； breaking the original
flower…pot； threw the pieces into the canal。 After which he
wrote the President of the Horticultural Society a letter；
in which he announced to him that he had just arrived at
Haarlem with a perfectly black tulip； and； with his flower
all safe； took up his quarters at a good hotel in the town；
and there he waited。
Chapter 25
The President van Systens
Rosa； on leaving Cornelius； had fixed on her plan； which was
no other than to restore to Cornelius the stolen tulip； or
never to see him again。
She had seen the despair of the prisoner； and she knew that
it was derived from a double source； and that it was
incurable。
On the one hand； separation became inevitable； Gryphus
having at the same time surprised the secret of their love
and of their secret meetings。
On the other hand； all the hopes on the fulfilment of which
Cornelius van Baerle had rested his ambition for the last
seven years were now crushed。
Rosa was one of those women who are dejected by trifles； but
who in great emergencies are supplied by the misfortune
itself with the energy for combating or with the resources
for remedying it。
She went to her room； and cast a last glance about her to
see whether she had not been mistaken； and whether the tulip
was not stowed away in some corner where it had escaped her
notice。 But she sought in vain； the tulip was still missing；
the tulip was indeed stolen。
Rosa made up a little parcel of things indispensable for a
journey； took her three hundred guilders； that is to say；
all her fortune； fetched the third bulb from among her
lace； where she had laid it up； and carefully hid it in her
bosom； after which she locked her door twice to disguise her
flight as long as possible； and； leaving the prison by the
same door which an hour before had let out Boxtel； she went
to a stable…keeper to hire a carriage。
The man had only a two…wheel chaise； and this was the
vehicle which Boxtel had hired since last evening； and in
which he was now driving along the road to Delft； for the
road from Loewestein to Haarlem； owing to the many canals；
rivers； and rivulets intersecting the country； is
exceedingly circuitous。
Not being able to procure a vehicle； Rosa was obliged to
take a horse； with which the stable…keeper readily intrusted
her； knowing her to be the daughter of the jailer of the
fortress。
Rosa hoped to overtake her messenger； a kind…hearted and
honest lad； whom she would take with her； and who might at
the same time serve her as a guide and a protector。
And in fact she had not proceeded more than a league before
she saw him hastening along one of the side paths of a very
pretty road by the river。 Setting her horse off at a canter；
she soon came up with him。
The honest lad was not aware of the important character of
his message； nevertheless； he used as much speed as if he
had known it； and in less than an hour he had already gone a
league and a half。
Rosa took from him the note； which had now become useless；
and explained to him what she wanted him to do for her。 The
boatman placed himself entirely at her disposal； promising
to keep pace with the horse if Rosa would allow him to take
hold of either the croup or the bridle of her horse。 The two
travellers had been on their way for five hours； and made
more than eight leagues； and yet Gryphus had not the least
suspicion of his daughter having left the fortress。
The jailer； who was of a very spiteful and cruel
disposition； chuckled within himself at the idea of having
struck such terror into his daughter's heart。
But whilst he was congratulating himself on having such a
nice story to tell to his boon companion； Jacob； that worthy
was on his road to Delft； and； thanks to the swiftness of
the horse； had already the start of Rosa and her companion
by four leagues。
And whilst the affectionate father was rejoicing at the
thought of his daughter weeping in her room； Rosa was making
the best of her way towards Haarlem。
Thus the prisoner alone was where Gryphus thought him to be。
Rosa was so little with her father since she took care of
the tulip； that at his dinner hour； that is to say； at
twelve o'clock； he was reminded for the first time by his
appetite that his daughter was fretting rather too long。
He sent one of the under…turnkeys to call her； and； when the
man came back to tell him that he had called and sought her
in vain； he resolved to go and call her himself。
He first went to her room； but； loud as he knocked； Rosa
answered not。
The locksmith of the fortress was sent for； he opened the
door； but Gryphus no more found Rosa than she had found the
tulip。
At that very moment she entered Rotterdam。
Gryphus therefore had just as little chance of finding her
in the kitchen as in her room； and just as little in the
garden as in the kitchen。
The reader may imagine the anger of the jailer when； after
having made inquiries about the neighbourhood； he heard that
his daughter had hired a horse； and； like an adventuress；
set out on a journey without saying where she was going。
Gryphus again went up in his fury to Van Baerle； abused him；
threatened him； knocked all the miserable furniture of his
cell about； and promised him all sorts of misery； even
starvation and flogging。
Cornelius； without even hearing what his jailer said；
allowed himself to be ill…treated； abused； and threatened；
remaining all the while sullen； immovable； dead to every
emotion and fear。
After having sought for Rosa in every direction； Gryphus
looked out for Jacob； and； as he could not find him either；
he began to suspect from that moment that Jacob had run away
with her。
The damsel； meanwhile； after having stopped for two hours at
Rotterdam； had started again on her journey。 On that evening
she slept at Delft； and on the following morning she reached
Haarlem； four hours after Boxtel had arrived there。
Rosa； first of all； caused herself to be led before Mynheer
van Systens； the President of the Horticultural Society of
Haarlem。
She found that worthy gentleman in a situation which； to do
justice to our story； we must not pass over in our
description。
The President was drawing up a report to the committee of
the society。
This report was written on large…sized paper； in the finest
handwriting of the President。
Rosa was announced simply as Rosa Gryphus； but as her name；
well as it might sound； was unknown to the President； she
was refused admittance。
Rosa； however； was by no means abashed； having vowed in her
heart； in pursuing her cause； not to allow herself to be put
down either by refusal； or abuse； or even brutality。
〃Announce to the President；〃 she said to the servant； 〃that
I want to speak to him about the black tulip。〃
These words seemed to be an 〃Open Sesame；〃 for she soon
found herself in the office of the President； Van Systens；
who gallantly rose from his chair to meet her。
He was a spare little man； resembling the stem of a flower；
his head forming its chalice； and his two limp arms
representing the double leaf of the tulip； the resemblance
was rendered complete by his waddling gait which made him
even more like that flower when it bends under a breeze。
〃Well； miss；〃 he said； 〃you are coming； I am told； about the
affair of the black tulip。〃
To the President of the Horticultural Society the Tulipa
nigra was a first…rate power； which； in its character as
queen of the tulips； might send ambassadors。
〃Yes； sir；〃 answered Rosa； 〃I come at least to speak of it。〃
〃Is it doing well； then？〃 asked Van Systens； with a smile of
tender veneration。
〃Alas！ sir； I don't know；〃 said Rosa。
〃How is that？ could any misfortune have happened to it？〃
〃A very great one； sir； yet not to it； but to me。〃
〃What？〃
〃It has been
