the　last　three　months；　all　that　she　had　done；　and　all　that
  she　had　suffered。　She　described　the　cruelty　of　Gryphus；　the
  destruction　of　the　first　bulb；　the　grief　of　the　prisoner；
  the　precautions　taken　to　insure　the　success　of　the　second
  bulb；　the　patience　of　the　prisoner　and　his　anxiety　during
  their　separation；　how　he　was　about　to　starve　himself　because
  he　had　no　longer　any　news　of　his　tulip；　his　joy　when　she
  went　to　see　him　again；　and；　lastly；　their　despair　when　they
  found　that　the　tulip　which　had　come　into　flower　was　stolen
  just　one　hour　after　it　had　opened。
  All　this　was　detailed　with　an　accent　of　truth　which；
  although　producing　no　change　in　the　impassible　mien　of　the
  Prince；　did　not　fail　to　take　effect　on　Van　Systens。
  〃But；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃it　cannot　be　long　since　you　knew
  the　prisoner。〃
  Rosa　opened　her　large　eyes　and　looked　at　the　stranger；　who
  drew　back　into　the　dark　corner；　as　if　he　wished　to　escape
  her　observation。
  〃Why；　sir？〃　she　asked　him。
  〃Because　it　is　not　yet　four　months　since　the　jailer　Gryphus
  and　his　daughter　were　removed　to　Loewestein。〃
  〃That　is　true；　sir。〃
  〃Otherwise；　you　must　have　solicited　the　transfer　of　your
  father；　in　order　to　be　able　to　follow　some　prisoner　who　may
  have　been　transported　from　the　Hague　to　Loewestein。〃
  〃Sir；〃　said　Rosa；　blushing。
  〃Finish　what　you　have　to　say；〃　said　William。
  〃I　confess　I　knew　the　prisoner　at　the　Hague。〃
  〃Happy　prisoner！〃　said　William；　smiling。
  At　this　moment　the　officer　who　had　been　sent　for　Boxtel
  returned；　and　announced　to　the　Prince　that　the　person　whom
  he　had　been　to　fetch　was　following　on　his　heels　with　his　tulip。
  Chapter　27
  The　Third　Bulb
  Boxtel's　return　was　scarcely　announced；　when　he　entered　in
  person　the　drawing…room　of　Mynheer　van　Systens；　followed　by
  two　men；　who　carried　in　a　box　their　precious　burden　and
  deposited　it　on　a　table。
  The　Prince；　on　being　informed；　left　the　cabinet；　passed　into
  the　drawing…room；　admired　the　flower；　and　silently　resumed
  his　seat　in　the　dark　corner；　where　he　had　himself　placed　his
  chair。
  Rosa；　trembling；　pale　and　terrified；　expected　to　be　invited
  in　her　turn　to　see　the　tulip。
  She　now　heard　the　voice　of　Boxtel。
  〃It　is　he！〃　she　exclaimed。
  The　Prince　made　her　a　sign　to　go　and　look　through　the　open
  door　into　the　drawing…room。
  〃It　is　my　tulip；〃　cried　Rosa；　〃I　recognise　it。　Oh；　my　poor
  Cornelius！〃
  And　saying　this　she　burst　into　tears。
  The　Prince　rose　from　his　seat；　went　to　the　door；　where　he
  stood　for　some　time　with　the　full　light　falling　upon　his
  figure。
  As　Rosa's　eyes　now　rested　upon　him；　she　felt　more　than　ever
  convinced　that　this　was　not　the　first　time　she　had　seen　the
  stranger。
  〃Master　Boxtel；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃come　in　here；　if　you
  please。〃
  Boxtel　eagerly　approached；　and；　finding　himself　face　to　face
  with　William　of　Orange；　started　back。
  〃His　Highness！〃　he　called　out。
  〃His　Highness！〃　Rosa　repeated　in　dismay。
  Hearing　this　exclamation　on　his　left；　Boxtel　turned　round；
  and　perceived　Rosa。
  At　this　sight　the　whole　frame　of　the　thief　shook　as　if　under
  the　influence　of　a　galvanic　shock。
  〃Ah！〃　muttered　the　Prince　to　himself；　〃he　is　confused。〃
  But　Boxtel；　making　a　violent　effort　to　control　his　feelings；
  was　already　himself　again。
  〃Master　Boxtel；〃　said　William；　〃you　seem　to　have　discovered
  the　secret　of　growing　the　black　tulip？〃
  〃Yes；　your　Highness；〃　answered　Boxtel；　in　a　voice　which
  still　betrayed　some　confusion。
  It　is　true　his　agitation　might　have　been　attributable　to　the
  emotion　which　the　man　must　have　felt　on　suddenly　recognising
  the　Prince。
  〃But；〃　continued　the　Stadtholder；　〃here　is　a　young　damsel
  who　also　pretends　to　have　found　it。〃
  Boxtel；　with　a　disdainful　smile；　shrugged　his　shoulders。
  William　watched　all　his　movements　with　evident　interest　and
  curiosity。
  〃Then　you　don't　know　this　young　girl？〃　said　the　Prince。
  〃No；　your　Highness！〃
  〃And　you；　child；　do　you　know　Master　Boxtel？〃
  〃No；　I　don't　know　Master　Boxtel；　but　I　know　Master　Jacob。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean？〃
  〃I　mean　to　say　that　at　Loewestein　the　man　who　here　calls
  himself　Isaac　Boxtel　went　by　the　name　of　Master　Jacob。〃
  〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　Master　Boxtel？〃
  〃I　say　that　this　damsel　lies；　your　Highness。〃
  〃You　deny；　therefore；　having　ever　been　at　Loewestein？〃
  Boxtel　hesitated；　the　fixed　and　searching　glance　of　the
  proud　eye　of　the　Prince　prevented　him　from　lying。
  〃I　cannot　deny　having　been　at　Loewestein；　your　Highness；　but
  I　deny　having　stolen　the　tulip。〃
  〃You　have　stolen　it；　and　that　from　my　room；〃　cried　Rosa；
  with　indignation。
  〃I　deny　it。〃
  〃Now　listen　to　me。　Do　you　deny　having　followed　me　into　the
  garden；　on　the　day　when　I　prepared　the　border　where　I　was　to
  plant　it？　Do　you　deny　having　followed　me　into　the　garden
  when　I　pretended　to　plant　it？　Do　you　deny　that；　on　that
  evening；　you　rushed　after　my　departure　to　the　spot　where　you
  hoped　to　find　the　bulb？　Do　you　deny　having　dug　in　the　ground
  with　your　hands　　but；　thank　God！　in　vain；　as　it　was　a
  stratagem　to　discover　your　intentions。　Say；　do　you　deny　all
  this？〃
  Boxtel　did　not　deem　it　fit　to　answer　these　several　charges；
  but；　turning　to　the　Prince；　continued；
  〃I　have　now　for　twenty　years　grown　tulips　at　Dort。　I　have
  even　acquired　some　reputation　in　this　art；　one　of　my　hybrids
  is　entered　in　the　catalogue　under　the　name　of　an　illustrious
  personage。　I　have　dedicated　it　to　the　King　of　Portugal。　The
  truth　in　the　matter　is　as　I　shall　now　tell　your　Highness。
  This　damsel　knew　that　I　had　produced　the　black　tulip；　and；
  in　concert　with　a　lover　of　hers　in　the　fortress　of
  Loewestein；　she　formed　the　plan　of　ruining　me　by
  appropriating　to　herself　the　prize　of　a　hundred　thousand
  guilders；　which；　with　the　help　of　your　Highness's　justice；　I
  hope　to　gain。〃
  〃Yah！〃　cried　Rosa；　beyond　herself　with　anger。
  〃Silence！〃　said　the　Prince。
  Then；　turning　to　Boxtel；　he　said；
  〃And　who　is　that　prisoner　to　whom　you　allude　as　the　lover　of
  this　young　woman？〃
  Rosa　nearly　swooned；　for　Cornelius　was　designated　as　a
  dangerous　prisoner；　and　recommended　by　the　Prince　to　the
  especial　surveillance　of　the　jailer。
  Nothing　could　have　been　more　agreeable　to　Boxtel　than　this
  question。
  〃This　prisoner；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　man　whose　name　in　itself
  will　prove　to　your　Highness　what　trust　you　may　place　in　his
  probity。　He　is　a　prisoner　of　state；　who　was　once　condemned
  to　death。〃
  〃And　his　name？〃
  Rosa　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　with　a　movement　of　despair。
  〃His　name　is　Cornelius　van　Baerle；〃　said　Boxtel；　〃and　he　is
  godson　of　that　villain　Cornelius　de　Witt。〃
  The　Prince　gave　a　start；　his　generally　quiet　eye　flashed；
  and　a　death…like　paleness　spread　over　his　impassible
  features。
  He　went　up　to　Rosa；　and　with　his　finger；　gave　her　a　sign　to
  remove　her　hands　from　her　face。
  Rosa　obeyed；　as　if　under　mesmeric　influence；　without　having
  seen　the　sign。
  〃It　was；　then　to　follow　this　man　that　you　came　to　me　at
  Leyden　to　solicit　for　the　transfer　of　your　father？〃
  Rosa　hung　down　her　head；　and；　nearly　choking；　said；
  〃Yes；　your　Highness。〃
  〃Go　on；〃　said　the　Prince　to　Boxtel。
  〃I　have　nothing　more　to　say；〃　Isaac　continued。　〃Your
  Highness　knows　all。　But　there　is　one　thing　which　I　did　not
  intend　to　say；　because　I　did　not　wish　to　make　this　girl
  blush　for　her　ingratitude。　I　came　to　Loewestein　because　I
  had　business　there。　On　this　occasion　I　made　the　acquaintance
  of　old　Gryphus；　and；　falling　in　love　with　his　daughter；　made
  an　offer　of　marriage　to　her；　and；　not　being　rich；　I
  committed　the　imprudence　of　mentioning　to　them　my　prospect
  of　gaining　a　hundred　thousand　guilders；　in　proof　of　which　I
  showed　to　them　the　black　tulip。　Her　lover　having　himself
  made　a　show　at　Dort　of　cultivating　tulips　to　hide　his
  political　intrigues；　they　now　plotted　together　for　my　ruin。
  On　the　eve　of　the　day　when　the　flower　was　expected　to　open；
  the　tulip　was　taken　away　by　this　young　woman。　She　carried　it
  to　her　room；　from　which　I　had　the　good　luck　to　recover　it　at
  the　very　moment　when　she　had　the　impudence　to　despatch　a
  messenger　to　announce　to　the　members　of　the　Horticultural
  Society　that　she　had　produced　the　grand　black　tulip。　But　she
  did　not　stop　there。　There　is　no　doubt　that；　during　the　few
  hours　which　she　kept　the　flower　in　her　room；　she　showed　it
  to　some　persons　whom　she　may　now　call　as　witnesses。　But；
  fortunately；　your　Highness　has　now　been　warned　against　this
  impostor　and　her　witnesses。〃
  〃Oh；　my　God；　my　God！　what　infamous　falsehoods！〃　said　Rosa；
  bursting　into　tears；　and　throwing　herself　at　the　feet　of　the
  Stadtholder；　who；　although　thinking　her　guilty；　felt　pity
  for　her　dreadful　agony。
  〃You　have　done　very　wrong；　my　child；〃　he　said；　〃and　your
  lover　shall　be　punished　for　having　thus　badly　advised　you。
  For　you　are　so　young；　and　have　such　an　honest　look；　that　I
  am　inclined　to　believe　the　mischief　to　have　been　his　doing；
  and　not　yours。〃
  〃Monseigneur！　Monseigneur！〃　cried　Rosa；　〃Cornelius　is　not
  guilty。〃
  William　started。
  〃Not　guilty　of　having　advised　yo