upon　great　criminals　of　every　sort。
  But　whilst　he　was　about　to　withdraw；　Cornelius　asked；　〃By
  the　bye；　Mr。　Recorder；　what　day　is　the　thing　　you　know
  what　I　mean　　to　take　place？〃
  〃Why；　to…day；〃　answered　the　Recorder；　a　little　surprised　by
  the　self…possession　of　the　condemned　man。
  A　sob　was　heard　behind　the　door；　and　Cornelius　turned　round
  to　look　from　whom　it　came；　but　Rosa；　who　had　foreseen　this
  movement；　had　fallen　back。
  〃And；〃　continued　Cornelius；　〃what　hour　is　appointed？〃
  〃Twelve　o'clock；　sir。〃
  〃Indeed；〃　said　Cornelius；　〃I　think　I　heard　the　clock　strike
  ten　about　twenty　minutes　ago；　I　have　not　much　time　to
  spare。〃
  〃Indeed　you　have　not；　if　you　wish　to　make　your　peace　with
  God；〃　said　the　Recorder；　bowing　to　the　ground。　〃You　may　ask
  for　any　clergyman　you　please。〃
  Saying　these　words　he　went　out　backwards；　and　the　assistant
  turnkey　was　going　to　follow　him；　and　to　lock　the　door　of
  Cornelius's　cell；　when　a　white　and　trembling　arm　interposed
  between　him　and　the　heavy　door。
  Cornelius　saw　nothing　but　the　golden　brocade　cap；　tipped
  with　lace；　such　as　the　Frisian　girls　wore；　he　heard　nothing
  but　some　one　whispering　into　the　ear　of　the　turnkey。　But　the
  latter　put　his　heavy　keys　into　the　white　hand　which　was
  stretched　out　to　receive　them；　and；　descending　some　steps；
  sat　down　on　the　staircase　which　was　thus　guarded　above　by
  himself；　and　below　by　the　dog。　The　head…dress　turned　round；
  and　Cornelius　beheld　the　face　of　Rosa；　blanched　with　grief；
  and　her　beautiful　eyes　streaming　with　tears。
  She　went　up　to　Cornelius；　crossing　her　arms　on　her　heaving
  breast。
  〃Oh；　sir；　sir！〃　she　said；　but　sobs　choked　her　utterance。
  〃My　good　girl；〃　Cornelius　replied　with　emotion；　〃what　do　you
  wish？　I　may　tell　you　that　my　time　on　earth　is　short。〃
  〃I　come　to　ask　a　favour　of　you；〃　said　Rosa；　extending　her
  arms　partly　towards　him　and　partly　towards　heaven。
  〃Don't　weep　so；　Rosa；〃　said　the　prisoner；　〃for　your　tears　go
  much　more　to　my　heart　than　my　approaching　fate；　and　you
  know；　the　less　guilty　a　prisoner　is；　the　more　it　is　his　duty
  to　die　calmly；　and　even　joyfully；　as　he　dies　a　martyr。　Come；
  there's　a　dear；　don't　cry　any　more；　and　tell　me　what　you
  want；　my　pretty　Rosa。〃
  She　fell　on　her　knees。　〃Forgive　my　father；〃　she　said。
  〃Your　father；　your　father！〃　said　Cornelius；　astonished。
  〃Yes；　he　has　been　so　harsh　to　you；　but　it　is　his　nature；　he
  is　so　to　every　one；　and　you　are　not　the　only　one　whom　he　has
  bullied。〃
  〃He　is　punished；　my　dear　Rosa；　more　than　punished；　by　the
  accident　that　has　befallen　him；　and　I　forgive　him。〃
  〃I　thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Rosa。　〃And　now　tell　me　　oh；　tell
  me　　can　I　do　anything　for　you？〃
  〃You　can　dry　your　beautiful　eyes；　my　dear　child；〃　answered
  Cornelius；　with　a　good…tempered　smile。
  〃But　what　can　I　do　for　you；　　for　you　I　mean？〃
  〃A　man　who　has　only　one　hour　longer　to　live　must　be　a　great
  Sybarite　still　to　want　anything；　my　dear　Rosa。〃
  〃The　clergyman　whom　they　have　proposed　to　you？〃
  〃I　have　worshipped　God　all　my　life；　I　have　worshipped　Him　in
  His　works；　and　praised　Him　in　His　decrees。　I　am　at　peace
  with　Him　and　do　not　wish　for　a　clergyman。　The　last　thought
  which　occupies　my　mind；　however　has　reference　to　the　glory
  of　the　Almighty；　and；　indeed；　my　dear；　I　should　ask　you　to
  help　me　in　carrying　out　this　last　thought。〃
  〃Oh；　Mynheer　Cornelius；　speak；　speak！〃　exclaimed　Rosa；　still
  bathed　in　tears。
  〃Give　me　your　hand；　and　promise　me　not　to　laugh；　my　dear
  child。〃
  〃Laugh；〃　exclaimed　Rosa；　frantic　with　grief；　〃laugh　at　this
  moment！　do　you　not　see　my　tears？〃
  〃Rosa；　you　are　no　stranger　to　me。　I　have　not　seen　much　of
  you；　but　that　little　is　enough　to　make　me　appreciate　your
  character。　I　have　never　seen　a　woman　more　fair　or　more　pure
  than　you　are；　and　if　from　this　moment　I　take　no　more　notice
  of　you；　forgive　me；　it　is　only　because；　on　leaving　this
  world；　I　do　not　wish　to　have　any　further　regret。〃
  Rosa　felt　a　shudder　creeping　over　her　frame；　for；　whilst　the
  prisoner　pronounced　these　words；　the　belfry　clock　of　the
  Buytenhof　struck　eleven。
  Cornelius　understood　her。　〃Yes；　yes；　let　us　make　haste；〃　he
  said；　〃you　are　right；　Rosa。〃
  Then；　taking　the　paper　with　the　three　suckers　from　his
  breast；　where　he　had　again　put　it；　since　he　had　no　longer
  any　fear　of　being　searched；　he　said：　〃My　dear　girl；　I　have
  been　very　fond　of　flowers。　That　was　at　a　time　when　I　did　not
  know　that　there　was　anything　else　to　be　loved。　Don't　blush；
  Rosa；　nor　turn　away；　and　even　if　I　were　making　you　a
  declaration　of　love；　alas！　poor　dear；　it　would　be　of　no　more
  consequence。　Down　there　in　the　yard；　there　is　an　instrument
  of　steel；　which　in　sixty　minutes　will　put　an　end　to　my
  boldness。　Well；　Rosa；　I　loved　flowers　dearly；　and　I　have
  found；　or　at　least　I　believe　so；　the　secret　of　the　great
  black　tulip；　which　it　has　been　considered　impossible　to
  grow；　and　for　which；　as　you　know；　or　may　not　know；　a　prize
  of　a　hundred　thousand　guilders　has　been　offered　by　the
  Horticultural　Society　of　Haarlem。　These　hundred　thousand
  guilders　　and　Heaven　knows　I　do　not　regret　them　　these
  hundred　thousand　guilders　I　have　here　in　this　paper；　for
  they　are　won　by　the　three　bulbs　wrapped　up　in　it；　which　you
  may　take；　Rosa；　as　I　make　you　a　present　of　them。〃
  〃Mynheer　Cornelius！〃
  〃Yes；　yes；　Rosa；　you　may　take　them；　you　are　not　wronging　any
  one；　my　child。　I　am　alone　in　this　world；　my　parents　are
  dead；　I　never　had　a　sister　or　a　brother。　I　have　never　had　a
  thought　of　loving　any　one　with　what　is　called　love；　and　if
  any　one　has　loved　me；　I　have　not　known　it。　However；　you　see
  well；　Rosa；　that　I　am　abandoned　by　everybody；　as　in　this　sad
  hour　you　alone　are　with　me　in　my　prison；　consoling　and
  assisting　me。〃
  〃But；　sir；　a　hundred　thousand　guilders！〃
  〃Well；　let　us　talk　seriously；　my　dear　child：　those　hundred
  thousand　guilders　will　be　a　nice　marriage　portion；　with　your
  pretty　face；　you　shall　have　them；　Rosa；　dear　Rosa；　and　I　ask
  nothing　in　return　but　your　promise　that　you　will　marry　a
  fine　young　man；　whom　you　love；　and　who　will　love　you；　as
  dearly　as　I　loved　my　flowers。　Don't　interrupt　me；　Rosa　dear；
  I　have　only　a　few　minutes　more。〃
  The　poor　girl　was　nearly　choking　with　her　sobs。
  Cornelius　took　her　by　the　hand。
  〃Listen　to　me；〃　he　continued：　〃I'll　tell　you　how　to　manage
  it。　Go　to　Dort　and　ask　Butruysheim；　my　gardener；　for　soil
  from　my　border　number　six；　fill　a　deep　box　with　it；　and
  plant　in　it　these　three　bulbs。　They　will　flower　next　May；
  that　is　to　say；　in　seven　months；　and；　when　you　see　the
  flower　forming　on　the　stem；　be　careful　at　night　to　protect
  them　from　the　wind；　and　by　day　to　screen　them　from　the　sun。
  They　will　flower　black；　I　am　quite　sure　of　it。　You　are　then
  to　apprise　the　President　of　the　Haarlem　Society。　He　will
  cause　the　color　of　the　flower　to　be　proved　before　a
  committee　and　these　hundred　thousand　guilders　will　be　paid
  to　you。〃
  Rosa　heaved　a　deep　sigh。
  〃And　now；〃　continued　Cornelius；　　wiping　away　a　tear　which
  was　glistening　in　his　eye；　and　which　was　shed　much　more　for
  that　marvellous　black　tulip　which　he　was　not　to　see　than　for
  the　life　which　he　was　about　to　lose；　　〃I　have　no　wish
  left；　except　that　the　tulip　should　be　called　Rosa
  Barlaensis；　that　is　to　say；　that　its　name　should　combine
  yours　and　mine；　and　as；　of　course；　you　do　not　understand
  Latin；　and　might　therefore　forget　this　name；　try　to　get　for
  me　pencil　and　paper；　that　I　may　write　it　down　for　you。〃
  Rosa　sobbed　afresh；　and　handed　to　him　a　book；　bound　in
  shagreen；　which　bore　the　initials　C。　W。
  〃What　is　this？〃　asked　the　prisoner。
  〃Alas！〃　replied　Rosa；　〃it　is　the　Bible　of　your　poor
  godfather；　Cornelius　de　Witt。　From　it　he　derived　strength　to
  endure　the　torture；　and　to　bear　his　sentence　without
  flinching。　I　found　it　in　this　cell；　after　the　death　of　the
  martyr；　and　have　preserved　it　as　a　relic。　To…day　I　brought
  it　to　you；　for　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　book　must　possess
  in　itself　a　divine　power。　Write　in　it　what　you　have　to
  write；　Mynheer　Cornelius；　and　though；　unfortunately；　I　am
  not　able　to　read；　I　will　take　care　that　what　you　write　shall
  be　accomplished。〃
  Cornelius　took　the　Bible；　and　kissed　it　reverently。
  〃With　what　shall　I　write？〃　asked　Cornelius。
  〃There　is　a　pencil　in　the　Bible；〃　said　Rosa。
  This　was　the　pencil　which　John　de　Witt　had　lent　to　his
  brother；　and　which　he　had　forgotten　to　take　away　with　him。
  Cornelius　took　it；　and　on　the　second　fly　leaf　（for　it　will
  be　remembered　that　the　first　was　torn　out）；　drawing　near　his
  end　like　his　godfather；　he　wrote　with　a　no　less　firm　hand：
  〃On　this　day；　the　23d　of　August；　1672；　being　on　the　point　of
  rendering；　although　innocent；　my　soul　to　God　on　the
  scaffold；　I　bequeath　to　Rosa　Gryphus　the　only　worldly　goods
  which　remain　to　me　of　all　that　I　have　possessed　in　this
  world；　the　rest　having　been　confiscated；　I　bequeath；　I　say；
  to　Rosa　Gryphus　three　bulbs；　which　I　am　convinced　must
  produce；　in　the　next　May；　the　Grand　Black　Tulip　for　which　a
  prize　of　a　hundred　thousand　guilders　has　been　offered　by　the
  Haarlem　Society；　requesting　th