what　lay　hidden　under　this　appearance　of　indifference　with
  which　the　poor　girl　affected　to　speak　of　her　rival；　the
  black　tulip。
  〃Oh！〃　muttered　Cornelius；　〃again！　again！　Have　I　not　told
  you；　Rosa；　that　I　thought　but　of　you？　that　it　was　you　alone
  whom　I　regretted；　you　whom　I　missed；　you　whose　absence　I
  felt　more　than　the　loss　of　liberty　and　of　life　itself？〃
  Rosa　smiled　with　a　melancholy　air。
  〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃your　tulip　has　been　in　such　danger。〃
  Cornelius　trembled　involuntarily；　and　showed　himself　clearly
  to　be　caught　in　the　trap；　if　ever　the　remark　was　meant　as
  such。
  〃Danger！〃　he　cried；　quite　alarmed；　〃what　danger？〃
  Rosa　looked　at　him　with　gentle　compassion；　she　felt　that
  what　she　wished　was　beyond　the　power　of　this　man；　and　that
  he　must　be　taken　as　he　was；　with　his　little　foible。
  〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃you　have　guessed　the　truth；　that　suitor
  and　amorous　swain；　Jacob；　did　not　come　on　my　account。〃
  〃And　what　did　he　come　for？〃　Cornelius　anxiously　asked。
  〃He　came　for　the　sake　of　the　tulip。〃
  〃Alas！〃　said　Cornelius；　growing　even　paler　at　this　piece　of
  information　than　he　had　been　when　Rosa；　a　fortnight　before；
  had　told　him　that　Jacob　was　coming　for　her　sake。
  Rosa　saw　this　alarm；　and　Cornelius　guessed；　from　the
  expression　of　her　face；　in　what　direction　her　thoughts　were
  running。
  〃Oh；　pardon　me；　Rosa！〃　he　said；　〃I　know　you；　and　I　am　well
  aware　of　the　kindness　and　sincerity　of　your　heart。　To　you
  God　has　given　the　thought　and　strength　for　defending
  yourself；　but　to　my　poor　tulip；　when　it　is　in　danger；　God
  has　given　nothing　of　the　sort。〃
  Rosa；　without　replying　to　this　excuse　of　the　prisoner；
  continued；
  〃From　the　moment　when　I　first　knew　that　you　were　uneasy　on
  account　of　the　man　who　followed　me；　and　in　whom　I　had
  recognized　Jacob；　I　was　even　more　uneasy　myself。　On　the　day；
  therefore；　after　that　on　which　I　saw　you　last；　and　on　which
  you　said　　〃
  Cornelius　interrupted　her。
  〃Once　more；　pardon　me；　Rosa！〃　he　cried。　〃I　was　wrong　in
  saying　to　you　what　I　said。　I　have　asked　your　pardon　for　that
  unfortunate　speech　before。　I　ask　it　again：　shall　I　always
  ask　it　in　vain？〃
  〃On　the　following　day；〃　Rosa　continued；　〃remembering　what
  you　had　told　me　about　the　stratagem　which　I　was　to　employ　to
  ascertain　whether　that　odious　man　was　after　the　tulip；　or
  after　me　　〃
  〃Yes；　yes；　odious。　Tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　hate　that
  man？〃
  〃I　do　hate　him；〃　said　Rosa；　〃as　he　is　the　cause　of　all　the
  unhappiness　I　have　suffered　these　eight　days。〃
  〃You；　too；　have　been　unhappy；　Rosa？　I　thank　you　a　thousand
  times　for　this　kind　confession。〃
  〃Well；　on　the　day　after　that　unfortunate　one；　I　went　down
  into　the　garden　and　proceeded　towards　the　border　where　I　was
  to　plant　your　tulip；　looking　round　all　the　while　to　see
  whether　I　was　again　followed　as　I　was　last　time。〃
  〃And　then？〃　Cornelius　asked。
  〃And　then　the　same　shadow　glided　between　the　gate　and　the
  wall；　and　once　more　disappeared　behind　the　elder…trees。〃
  〃You　feigned　not　to　see　him；　didn't　you？〃　Cornelius　asked；
  remembering　all　the　details　of　the　advice　which　he　had　given
  to　Rosa。
  〃Yes；　and　I　stooped　over　the　border；　in　which　I　dug　with　a
  spade；　as　if　I　was　going　to　put　the　bulb　in。〃
  〃And　he；　　what　did　he　do　during　all　this　time？〃
  〃I　saw　his　eyes　glisten　through　the　branches　of　the　tree
  like　those　of　a　tiger。〃
  〃There　you　see；　there　you　see！〃　cried　Cornelius。
  〃Then；　after　having　finished　my　make…believe　work；　I
  retired。〃
  〃But　only　behind　the　garden　door；　I　dare　say；　so　that　you
  might　see　through　the　keyhole　what　he　was　going　to　do　when
  you　had　left？〃
  〃He　waited　for　a　moment；　very　likely　to　make　sure　of　my　not
  coming　back；　after　which　he　sneaked　forth　from　his
  hiding…place；　and　approached　the　border　by　a　long
  round…about；　at　last；　having　reached　his　goal；　that　is　to
  say；　the　spot　where　the　ground　was　newly　turned；　he　stopped
  with　a　careless　air；　looking　about　in　all　directions；　and
  scanning　every　corner　of　the　garden；　every　window　of　the
  neighbouring　houses；　and　even　the　sky；　after　which；　thinking
  himself　quite　alone；　quite　isolated；　and　out　of　everybody's
  sight；　he　pounced　upon　the　border；　plunged　both　his　hands
  into　the　soft　soil；　took　a　handful　of　the　mould；　which　he
  gently　frittered　between　his　fingers　to　see　whether　the　bulb
  was　in　it；　and　repeated　the　same　thing　twice　or　three　times；
  until　at　last　he　perceived　that　he　was　outwitted。　Then；
  keeping　down　the　agitation　which　was　raging　in　his　breast；
  he　took　up　the　rake；　smoothed　the　ground；　so　as　to　leave　it
  on　his　retiring　in　the　same　state　as　he　had　found　it；　and；
  quite　abashed　and　rueful；　walked　back　to　the　door；　affecting
  the　unconcerned　air　of　an　ordinary　visitor　of　the　garden。〃
  〃Oh；　the　wretch！〃　muttered　Cornelius；　wiping　the　cold　sweat
  from　his　brow。　〃Oh；　the　wretch！　I　guessed　his　intentions。
  But　the　bulb；　Rosa；　what　have　you　done　with　it？　It　is
  already　rather　late　to　plant　it。〃
  〃The　bulb？　It　has　been　in　the　ground　for　these　six　days。〃
  〃Where？　and　how？〃　cried　Cornelius。　〃Good　Heaven；　what
  imprudence！　What　is　it？　In　what　sort　of　soil　is　it？　It　what
  aspect？　Good　or　bad？　Is　there　no　risk　of　having　it　filched
  by　that　detestable　Jacob？〃
  〃There　is　no　danger　of　its　being　stolen；〃　said　Rosa；　〃unless
  Jacob　will　force　the　door　of　my　chamber。〃
  〃Oh！　then　it　is　with　you　in　your　bedroom？〃　said　Cornelius；
  somewhat　relieved。　〃But　in　what　soil？　in　what　vessel？　You
  don't　let　it　grow；　I　hope；　in　water　like　those　good　ladies
  of　Haarlem　and　Dort；　who　imagine　that　water　could　replace
  the　earth？〃
  〃You　may　make　yourself　comfortable　on　that　score；〃　said
  Rosa；　smiling；　〃your　bulb　is　not　growing　in　water。〃
  〃I　breathe　again。〃
  〃It　is　in　a　good；　sound　stone　pot；　just　about　the　size　of
  the　jug　in　which　you　had　planted　yours。　The　soil　is　composed
  of　three　parts　of　common　mould；　taken　from　the　best　spot　of
  the　garden；　and　one　of　the　sweepings　of　the　road。　I　have
  heard　you　and　that　detestable　Jacob；　as　you　call　him；　so
  often　talk　about　what　is　the　soil　best　fitted　for　growing
  tulips；　that　I　know　it　as　well　as　the　first　gardener　of
  Haarlem。〃
  〃And　now　what　is　the　aspect；　Rosa？〃
  〃At　present　it　has　the　sun　all　day　long；　　that　is　to　say
  when　the　sun　shines。　But　when　it　once　peeps　out　of　the
  ground；　I　shall　do　as　you　have　done　here；　dear　Mynheer
  Cornelius：　I　shall　put　it　out　of　my　window　on　the　eastern
  side　from　eight　in　the　morning　until　eleven　and　in　my　window
  towards　the　west　from　three　to　five　in　the　afternoon。〃
  〃That's　it！　that's　it！〃　cried　Cornelius；　〃and　you　are　a
  perfect　gardener；　my　pretty　Rosa。　But　I　am　afraid　the
  nursing　of　my　tulip　will　take　up　all　your　time。〃
  〃Yes；　it　will；〃　said　Rosa；　〃but　never　mind。　Your　tulip　is　my
  daughter。　I　shall　devote　to　it　the　same　time　as　I　should　to
  a　child　of　mine；　if　I　were　a　mother。　Only　by　becoming　its
  mother；〃　Rosa　added；　smilingly；　〃can　I　cease　to　be　its
  rival。〃
  〃My　kind　and　pretty　Rosa！〃　muttered　Cornelius　casting　on　her
  a　glance　in　which　there　was　much　more　of　the　lover　than　of
  the　gardener；　and　which　afforded　Rosa　some　consolation。
  Then；　after　a　silence　of　some　moments；　during　which
  Cornelius　had　grasped　through　the　openings　of　the　grating
  for　the　receding　hand　of　Rosa；　he　said；
  〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　the　bulb　has　now　been　in　the　ground
  for　six　days？〃
  〃Yes；　six　days；　Mynheer　Cornelius；〃　she　answered。
  〃And　it　does　not　yet　show　leaf〃
  〃No；　but　I　think　it　will　to…morrow。〃
  〃Well；　then；　to…morrow　you　will　bring　me　news　about　it；　and
  about　yourself；　won't　you；　Rosa？　I　care　very　much　for　the
  daughter；　as　you　called　it　just　now；　but　I　care　even　much
  more　for　the　mother。〃
  〃To…morrow？〃　said　Rosa；　looking　at　Cornelius　askance。　〃I
  don't　know　whether　I　shall　be　able　to　come　to…morrow。〃
  〃Good　heavens！〃　said　Cornelius；　〃why　can't　you　come
  to…morrow？〃
  〃Mynheer　Cornelius；　I　have　lots　of　things　to　do。〃
  〃And　I　have　only　one；〃　muttered　Cornelius。
  〃Yes；〃　said　Rosa；　〃to　love　your　tulip。〃
  〃To　love　you；　Rosa。〃
  Rosa　shook　her　head；　after　which　followed　a　pause。
  〃Well；〃　　Cornelius　at　last　broke　the　silence；　　〃well；
  Rosa；　everything　changes　in　the　realm　of　nature；　the　flowers
  of　spring　are　succeeded　by　other　flowers；　and　the　bees；
  which　so　tenderly　caressed　the　violets　and　the　wall…flowers；
  will　flutter　with　just　as　much　love　about　the　honey…suckles；
  the　rose；　the　jessamine；　and　the　carnation。〃
  〃What　does　all　this　mean？〃　asked　Rosa。
  〃You　have　abandoned　me；　Miss　Rosa；　to　seek　your　pleasure
  elsewhere。　You　have　done　well；　and　I　will　not　complain。　What
  claim　have　I　to　your　fidelity？〃
  〃My　fidelity！〃　Rosa　exclaimed；　with　her　eyes　full　of　tears；
  and　without　caring　any　longer　to　hide　from　Cornelius　this
  dew　of　pearls　dropping　on　her　cheeks；　〃my　fidelity！　have　I
  not　been　faithful　to　you？〃
  〃Do　you　call　it　faithful　to　desert　me；　and　to　leave　me　here
  to　die？〃
  〃But；　Mynheer　Cornelius；〃　said　Rosa；　〃am　I　not　doing
  everything　for　you　that　could　give　you　pleasure？　have　I　not
  devoted　myself　to　your　tulip？〃
  〃You　are　bitter；　Rosa；　you　reproach　me　wit