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the black tulip-第40节

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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

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