everything　for　you　that　could　give　you　pleasure？　have　I　not
  devoted　myself　to　your　tulip？〃
  〃You　are　bitter；　Rosa；　you　reproach　me　with　the　only
  unalloyed　pleasure　which　I　have　had　in　this　world。〃
  〃I　reproach　you　with　nothing；　Mynheer　Cornelius；　except；
  perhaps；　with　the　intense　grief　which　I　felt　when　people
  came　to　tell　me　at　the　Buytenhof　that　you　were　about　to　be
  put　to　death。〃
  〃You　are　displeased；　Rosa；　my　sweet　girl；　with　my　loving
  flowers。〃
  〃I　am　not　displeased　with　your　loving　them；　Mynheer
  Cornelius；　only　it　makes　me　sad　to　think　that　you　love　them
  better　than　you　do　me。〃
  〃Oh；　my　dear；　dear　Rosa！　look　how　my　hands　tremble；　look　at
  my　pale　cheek；　hear　how　my　heart　beats。　It　is　for　you；　my
  love；　not　for　the　black　tulip。　Destroy　the　bulb；　destroy　the
  germ　of　that　flower；　extinguish　the　gentle　light　of　that
  innocent　and　delightful　dream；　to　which　I　have　accustomed
  myself；　but　love　me；　Rosa；　love　me；　for　I　feel　deeply　that　I
  love　but　you。〃
  〃Yes；　after　the　black　tulip；〃　sighed　Rosa；　who　at　last　no
  longer　coyly　withdrew　her　warm　hands　from　the　grating；　as
  Cornelius　most　affectionately　kissed　them。
  〃Above　and　before　everything　in　this　world；　Rosa。〃
  〃May　I　believe　you？〃
  〃As　you　believe　in　your　own　existence。〃
  〃Well；　then；　be　it　so；　but　loving　me　does　not　bind　you　too
  much。〃
  〃Unfortunately；　it　does　not　bind　me　more　than　I　am　bound；
  but　it　binds　you；　Rosa；　you。〃
  〃To　what？〃
  〃First　of　all；　not　to　marry。〃
  She　smiled。
  〃That's　your　way；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　tyrants　all　of　you。
  You　worship　a　certain　beauty；　you　think　of　nothing　but　her。
  Then　you　are　condemned　to　death；　and　whilst　walking　to　the
  scaffold；　you　devote　to　her　your　last　sigh；　and　now　you
  expect　poor　me　to　sacrifice　to　you　all　my　dreams　and　my
  happiness。〃
  〃But　who　is　the　beauty　you　are　talking　of；　Rosa？〃　said
  Cornelius；　trying　in　vain　to　remember　a　woman　to　whom　Rosa
  might　possibly　be　alluding。
  〃The　dark　beauty　with　a　slender　waist；　small　feet；　and　a
  noble　head；　in　short；　I　am　speaking　of　your　flower。〃
  Cornelius　smiled。
  〃That　is　an　imaginary　lady　love；　at　all　events；　whereas；
  without　counting　that　amorous　Jacob；　you　by　your　own　account
  are　surrounded　with　all　sorts　of　swains　eager　to　make　love
  to　you。　Do　you　remember　Rosa；　what　you　told　me　of　the
  students；　officers；　and　clerks　of　the　Hague？　Are　there　no
  clerks；　officers；　or　students　at　Loewestein？〃
  〃Indeed　there　are；　and　lots　of　them。〃
  〃Who　write　letters？〃
  〃They　do　write。〃
  〃And　now；　as　you　know　how　to　read　　〃
  Here　Cornelius　heaved　a　sigh　at　the　thought；　that；　poor
  captive　as　he　was；　to　him　alone　Rosa　owed　the　faculty　of
  reading　the　love…letters　which　she　received。
  〃As　to　that；〃　said　Rosa；　〃I　think　that　in　reading　the　notes
  addressed　to　me；　and　passing　the　different　swains　in　review
  who　send　them　to　me；　I　am　only　following　your　instructions。〃
  〃How　so？　My　instructions？〃
  〃Indeed；　your　instructions；　sir；〃　said　Rosa；　sighing　in　her
  turn；　〃have　you　forgotten　the　will　written　by　your　hand　on
  the　Bible　of　Cornelius　de　Witt？　I　have　not　forgotten　it；　for
  now；　as　I　know　how　to　read；　I　read　it　every　day　over　and
  over　again。　In　that　will　you　bid　me　to　love　and　marry　a
  handsome　young　man　of　twenty…six　or　eight　years。　I　am　on　the
  look…out　for　that　young　man；　and　as　the　whole　of　my　day　is
  taken　up　with　your　tulip；　you　must　needs　leave　me　the
  evenings　to　find　him。〃
  〃But；　Rosa；　the　will　was　made　in　the　expectation　of　death；
  and；　thanks　to　Heaven；　I　am　still　alive。〃
  〃Well；　then；　I　shall　not　be　after　the　handsome　young　man；
  and　I　shall　come　to　see　you。〃
  〃That's　it；　Rosa；　come！　come！〃
  〃Under　one　condition。〃
  〃Granted　beforehand！〃
  〃That　the　black　tulip　shall　not　be　mentioned　for　the　next
  three　days。〃
  〃It　shall　never　be　mentioned　any　more；　if　you　wish　it；
  Rosa。〃
  〃No；　no；〃　the　damsel　said；　laughing；　〃I　will　not　ask　for
  impossibilities。〃
  And；　saying　this；　she　brought　her　fresh　cheek；　as　if
  unconsciously；　so　near　the　iron　grating；　that　Cornelius　was
  able　to　touch　it　with　his　lips。
  Rosa　uttered　a　little　scream；　which；　however；　was　full　of
  love；　and　disappeared。
  Chapter　21
  The　Second　Bulb
  The　night　was　a　happy　one；　and　the　whole　of　the　next　day
  happier　still。
  During　the　last　few　days；　the　prison　had　been　heavy；　dark；
  and　lowering；　as　it　were；　with　all　its　weight　on　the
  unfortunate　captive。　Its　walls　were　black；　its　air　chilling；
  the　iron　bars　seemed　to　exclude　every　ray　of　light。
  But　when　Cornelius　awoke　next　morning；　a　beam　of　the　morning
  sun　was　playing　about　those　iron　bars；　pigeons　were　hovering
  about　with　outspread　wings；　whilst　others　were　lovingly
  cooing　on　the　roof　or　near　the　still　closed　window。
  Cornelius　ran　to　that　window　and　opened　it；　it　seemed　to　him
  as　if　new　life；　and　joy；　and　liberty　itself　were　entering
  with　this　sunbeam　into　his　cell；　which；　so　dreary　of　late；
  was　now　cheered　and　irradiated　by　the　light　of　love。
  When　Gryphus；　therefore；　came　to　see　his　prisoner　in　the
  morning；　he　no　longer　found　him　morose　and　lying　in　bed；　but
  standing　at　the　window；　and　singing　a　little　ditty。
  〃Halloa！〃　exclaimed　the　jailer。
  〃How　are　you　this　morning？〃　asked　Cornelius。
  Gryphus　looked　at　him　with　a　scowl。
  〃And　how　is　the　dog；　and　Master　Jacob；　and　our　pretty　Rosa？〃
  Gryphus　ground　his　teeth；　saying。
  〃Here　is　your　breakfast。〃
  〃Thank　you；　friend　Cerberus；〃　said　the　prisoner；　〃you　are
  just　in　time；　I　am　very　hungry。〃
  〃Oh！　you　are　hungry；　are　you？〃　said　Gryphus。
  〃And　why　not？〃　asked　Van　Baerle。
  〃The　conspiracy　seems　to　thrive；〃　remarked　Gryphus。
  〃What　conspiracy？〃
  〃Very　well；　I　know　what　I　know；　Master　Scholar；　just　be
  quiet；　we　shall　be　on　our　guard。〃
  〃Be　on　your　guard；　friend　Gryphus；　be　on　your　guard　as　long
  as　you　please；　my　conspiracy；　as　well　as　my　person；　is
  entirely　at　your　service。〃
  〃We'll　see　that　at　noon。〃
  Saying　this；　Gryphus　went　out。
  〃At　noon？〃　repeated　Cornelius；　〃what　does　that　mean？　Well；
  let　us　wait　until　the　clock　strikes　twelve；　and　we　shall
  see。〃
  It　was　very　easy　for　Cornelius　to　wait　for　twelve　at　midday；
  as　he　was　already　waiting　for　nine　at　night。
  It　struck　twelve；　and　there　were　heard　on　the　staircase　not
  only　the　steps　of　Gryphus；　but　also　those　of　three　or　four
  soldiers；　who　were　coming　up　with　him。
  The　door　opened。　Gryphus　entered；　led　his　men　in；　and　shut
  the　door　after　them。
  〃There；　now　search！〃
  They　searched　not　only　the　pockets　of　Cornelius；　but　even
  his　person；　yet　they　found　nothing。
  They　then　searched　the　sheets；　the　mattress；　and　the　straw
  mattress　of　his　bed；　and　again　they　found　nothing。
  Now；　Cornelius　rejoiced　that　he　had　not　taken　the　third
  sucker　under　his　own　care。　Gryphus　would　have　been　sure　to
  ferret　it　out　in　the　search；　and　would　then　have　treated　it
  as　he　did　the　first。
  And　certainly　never　did　prisoner　look　with　greater
  complacency　at　a　search　made　in　his　cell　than　Cornelius。
  Gryphus　retired　with　the　pencil　and　the　two　or　three　leaves
  of　white　paper　which　Rosa　had　given　to　Van　Baerle；　this　was
  the　only　trophy　brought　back　from　the　expedition。
  At　six　Gryphus　came　back　again；　but　alone；　Cornelius　tried
  to　propitiate　him；　but　Gryphus　growled；　showed　a　large　tooth
  like　a　tusk；　which　he　had　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　and
  went　out　backwards；　like　a　man　who　is　afraid　of　being
  attacked　from　behind。
  Cornelius　burst　out　laughing；　to　which　Gryphus　answered
  through　the　grating；
  〃Let　him　laugh　that　wins。〃
  The　winner　that　day　was　Cornelius；　Rosa　came　at　nine。
  She　was　without　a　lantern。　She　needed　no　longer　a　light；　as
  she　could　now　read。　Moreover；　the　light　might　betray　her；　as
  Jacob　was　dogging　her　steps　more　than　ever。　And　lastly；　the
  light　would　have　shown　her　blushes。
  Of　what　did　the　young　people　speak　that　evening？　Of　those
  matters　of　which　lovers　speak　at　the　house　doors　in　France；
  or　from　a　balcony　into　the　street　in　Spain；　or　down　from　a
  terrace　into　a　garden　in　the　East。
  They　spoke　of　those　things　which　give　wings　to　the　hours；
  they　spoke　of　everything　except　the　black　tulip。
  At　last；　when　the　clock　struck　ten；　they　parted　as　usual。
  Cornelius　was　happy；　as　thoroughly　happy　as　a　tulip…fancier
  would　be　to　whom　one　has　not　spoken　of　his　tulip。
  He　found　Rosa　pretty；　good；　graceful；　and　charming。
  But　why　did　Rosa　object　to　the　tulip　being　spoken　of？
  This　was　indeed　a　great　defect　in　Rosa。
  Cornelius　confessed　to　himself；　sighing；　that　woman　was　not
  perfect。
  Part　of　the　night　he　thought　of　this　imperfection；　that　is
  to　say；　so　long　as　he　was　awake　he　thought　of　Rosa。
  After　having　fallen　asleep；　he　dreamed　of　her。
  But　the　Rosa　of　his　dreams　was　by　far　more　perfect　than　the
  Rosa　of　real　life。　Not　only　did　the　Rosa　of　his　dreams　speak
  of　the　tulip；　but　also　brought　to　him　a　black　one　in　a　china
  vase。
  Cornelius　then　awoke；　trembling　with　joy；　and　muttering；
  〃Rosa；　Rosa；　I　love　you。〃
  And　as　it　was　already　day；　he　thought　it　right　not　to　fall
  asleep　again；　and　he　continued　following　up