the black tulip-第33章
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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 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
