How　Cornelius　would　have　spurned　the　offer　of　his　liberty　in
  exchange　for　his　tulip！
  Day　came；　without　any　news；　the　tulip　was　not　yet　in　flower。
  The　day　passed　as　the　night。　Night　came；　and　with　it　Rosa；
  joyous　and　cheerful　as　a　bird。
  〃Well？〃　asked　Cornelius。
  〃Well；　all　is　going　on　prosperously。　This　night；　without　any
  doubt；　our　tulip　will　be　in　flower。〃
  〃And　will　it　flower　black？〃
  〃Black　as　jet。〃
  〃Without　a　speck　of　any　other　colour。〃
  〃Without　one　speck。〃
  〃Good　Heavens！　my　dear　Rosa；　I　have　been　dreaming　all　night；
  in　the　first　place　of　you；〃　（Rosa　made　a　sign　of
  incredulity；）　〃and　then　of　what　we　must　do。〃
  〃Well？〃
  〃Well；　and　I　will　tell　you　now　what　I　have　decided　on。　The
  tulip　once　being　in　flower；　and　it　being　quite　certain　that
  it　is　perfectly　black；　you　must　find　a　messenger。〃
  〃If　it　is　no　more　than　that；　I　have　a　messenger　quite
  ready。〃
  〃Is　he　safe？〃
  〃One　for　whom　I　will　answer；　　he　is　one　of　my　lovers。〃
  〃I　hope　not　Jacob。〃
  〃No；　be　quiet；　it　is　the　ferryman　of　Loewestein；　a　smart
  young　man　of　twenty…five。〃
  〃By　Jove！〃
  〃Be　quiet；〃　said　Rosa；　smiling；　〃he　is　still　under　age；　as
  you　have　yourself　fixed　it　from　twenty…six　to　twenty…eight。〃
  〃In　fine；　do　you　think　you　may　rely　on　this　young　man？〃
  〃As　on　myself；　he　would　throw　himself　into　the　Waal　or　the
  Meuse　if　I　bade　him。〃
  〃Well；　Rosa；　this　lad　may　be　at　Haarlem　in　ten　hours；　you
  will　give　me　paper　and　pencil；　and；　perhaps　better　still；
  pen　and　ink；　and　I　will　write；　or　rather；　on　second
  thoughts；　you　will；　for　if　I　did；　being　a　poor　prisoner；
  people　might；　like　your　father；　see　a　conspiracy　in　it。　You
  will　write　to　the　President　of　the　Horticultural　Society；
  and　I　am　sure　he　will　come。〃
  〃But　if　he　tarries？〃
  〃Well；　let　us　suppose　that　he　tarries　one　day；　or　even　two；
  but　it　is　impossible。　A　tulip…fancier　like　him　will　not
  tarry　one　hour；　not　one　minute；　not　one　second；　to　set　out
  to　see　the　eighth　wonder　of　the　world。　But；　as　I　said；　if　he
  tarried　one　or　even　two　days；　the　tulip　will　still　be　in　its
  full　splendour。　The　flower　once　being　seen　by　the　President；
  and　the　protocol　being　drawn　up；　all　is　in　order；　you　will
  only　keep　a　duplicate　of　the　protocol；　and　intrust　the　tulip
  to　him。　Ah！　if　we　had　been　able　to　carry　it　ourselves；　Rosa；
  it　would　never　have　left　my　hands　but　to　pass　into　yours；
  but　this　is　a　dream；　which　we　must　not　entertain；〃　continued
  Cornelius　with　a　sigh；　〃the　eyes　of　strangers　will　see　it
  flower　to　the　last。　And　above　all；　Rosa；　before　the
  President　has　seen　it；　let　it　not　be　seen　by　any　one。　Alas！
  if　any　one　saw　the　black　tulip；　it　would　be　stolen。〃
  〃Oh！〃
  〃Did　you　not　tell　me　yourself　of　what　you　apprehended　from
  your　lover　Jacob？　People　will　steal　one　guilder；　why　not　a
  hundred　thousand？〃
  〃I　shall　watch；　be　quiet。〃
  〃But　if　it　opened　whilst　you　were　here？〃
  〃The　whimsical　little　thing　would　indeed　be　quite　capable　of
  playing　such　a　trick；〃　said　Rosa。
  〃And　if　on　your　return　you　find　it　open？〃
  〃Well？〃
  〃Oh；　Rosa；　whenever　it　opens；　remember　that　not　a　moment
  must　be　lost　in　apprising　the　President。〃
  〃And　in　apprising　you。　Yes；　I　understand。〃
  Rosa　sighed；　yet　without　any　bitter　feeling；　but　rather　like
  a　woman　who　begins　to　understand　a　foible；　and　to　accustom
  herself　to　it。
  〃I　return　to　your　tulip；　Mynheer　van　Baerle；　and　as　soon　as
  it　opens　I　will　give　you　news；　which　being　done　the
  messenger　will　set　out　immediately。〃
  〃Rosa；　Rosa；　I　don't　know　to　what　wonder　under　the　sun　I
  shall　compare　you。〃
  〃Compare　me　to　the　black　tulip；　and　I　promise　you　I　shall
  feel　very　much　flattered。　Good　night；　then；　till　we　meet
  again；　Mynheer　Cornelius。〃
  〃Oh；　say　'Good　night；　my　friend。'〃
  〃Good　night；　my　friend；〃　said　Rosa；　a　little　consoled。
  〃Say；　'My　very　dear　friend。'〃
  〃Oh；　my　friend　　〃
  〃Very　dear　friend；　I　entreat　you；　say　'very　dear；'　Rosa；
  very　dear。〃
  〃Very　dear；　yes；　very　dear；〃　said　Rosa；　with　a　beating
  heart；　beyond　herself　with　happiness。
  〃And　now　that　you　have　said　'very　dear；'　dear　Rosa；　say　also
  'most　happy'：　say　'happier　and　more　blessed　than　ever　man
  was　under　the　sun。'　I　only　lack　one　thing；　Rosa。〃
  〃And　that　is？〃
  〃Your　cheek；　　your　fresh　cheek；　your　soft；　rosy　cheek。　Oh；
  Rosa；　give　it　me　of　your　own　free　will；　and　not　by　chance。
  Ah！〃
  The　prisoner's　prayer　ended　in　a　sigh　of　ecstasy；　his　lips
  met　those　of　the　maiden；　　not　by　chance；　nor　by　stratagem；
  but　as　Saint…Preux's　was　to　meet　the　lips　of　Julie　a　hundred
  years　later。
  Rosa　made　her　escape。
  Cornelius　stood　with　his　heart　upon　his　lips；　and　his　face
  glued　to　the　wicket　in　the　door。
  He　was　fairly　choking　with　happiness　and　joy。　He　opened　his
  window；　and　gazed　long；　with　swelling　heart；　at　the
  cloudless　vault　of　heaven；　and　the　moon；　which　shone　like
  silver　upon　the　two…fold　stream　flowing　from　far　beyond　the
  hills。　He　filled　his　lungs　with　the　pure；　sweet　air；　while
  his　brain　dwelt　upon　thoughts　of　happiness；　and　his　heart
  overflowed　with　gratitude　and　religious　fervour。
  〃Oh　Thou　art　always　watching　from　on　high；　my　God；〃　he
  cried；　half　prostrate；　his　glowing　eyes　fixed　upon　the
  stars：　〃forgive　me　that　I　almost　doubted　Thy　existence
  during　these　latter　days；　for　Thou　didst　hide　Thy　face
  behind　the　clouds；　and　wert　for　a　moment　lost　to　my　sight；　O
  Thou　merciful　God；　Thou　pitying　Father　everlasting！　But
  to…day；　this　evening；　and　to…night；　again　I　see　Thee　in　all
  Thy　wondrous　glory　in　the　mirror　of　Thy　heavenly　abode；　and
  more　clearly　still　in　the　mirror　of　my　grateful　heart。〃
  He　was　well　again；　the　poor　invalid；　the　wretched　captive
  was　free　once　more。
  During　part　of　the　night　Cornelius；　with　his　heart　full　of
  joy　and　delight；　remained　at　his　window；　gazing　at　the
  stars；　and　listening　for　every　sound。
  Then　casting　a　glance　from　time　to　time　towards　the　lobby；
  〃Down　there；〃　he　said；　〃is　Rosa；　watching　like　myself；　and
  waiting　from　minute　to　minute；　down　there；　under　Rosa's
  eyes；　is　the　mysterious　flower；　which　lives；　which　expands；
  which　opens；　perhaps　Rosa　holds　in　this　moment　the　stem　of
  the　tulip　between　her　delicate　fingers。　Touch　it　gently；
  Rosa。　Perhaps　she　touches　with　her　lips　its　expanding
  chalice。　Touch　it　cautiously；　Rosa；　your　lips　are　burning。
  Yes；　perhaps　at　this　moment　the　two　objects　of　my　dearest
  love　caress　each　other　under　the　eye　of　Heaven。〃
  At　this　moment；　a　star　blazed　in　the　southern　sky；　and　shot
  through　the　whole　horizon；　falling　down；　as　it　were；　on　the
  fortress　of　Loewestein。
  Cornelius　felt　a　thrill　run　through　his　frame。
  〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃here　is　Heaven　sending　a　soul　to　my　flower。〃
  And　as　if　he　had　guessed　correctly；　nearly　at　that　very
  moment　the　prisoner　heard　in　the　lobby　a　step　light　as　that
  of　a　sylph；　and　the　rustling　of　a　gown；　and　a　well…known
  voice；　which　said　to　him；
  〃Cornelius；　my　friend；　my　very　dear　friend；　and　very　happy
  friend；　come；　come　quickly。〃
  Cornelius　darted　with　one　spring　from　the　window　to　the
  door；　his　lips　met　those　of　Rosa；　who　told　him；　with　a　kiss；
  〃It　is　open；　it　is　black；　here　it　is。〃
  〃How！　here　it　is？〃　exclaimed　Cornelius。
  〃Yes；　yes；　we　ought　indeed　to　run　some　little　risk　to　give　a
  great　joy；　here　it　is；　take　it。〃
  And　with　one　hand　she　raised　to　the　level　of　the　grating　a
  dark　lantern；　which　she　had　lit　in　the　meanwhile；　whilst
  with　the　other　she　held　to　the　same　height　the　miraculous
  tulip。
  Cornelius　uttered　a　cry；　and　was　nearly　fainting。
  〃Oh！〃　muttered　he；　〃my　God；　my　God；　Thou　dost　reward　me　for
  my　innocence　and　my　captivity；　as　Thou　hast　allowed　two　such
  flowers　to　grow　at　the　grated　window　of　my　prison！〃
  The　tulip　was　beautiful；　splendid；　magnificent；　its　stem　was
  more　than　eighteen　inches　high；　it　rose　from　out　of　four
  green　leaves；　which　were　as　smooth　and　straight　as　iron
  lance…heads；　the　whole　of　the　flower　was　as　black　and
  shining　as　jet。
  〃Rosa；〃　said　Cornelius；　almost　gasping；　〃Rosa；　there　is　not
  one　moment　to　lose　in　writing　the　letter。〃
  〃It　is　written；　my　dearest　Cornelius；〃　said　Rosa。
  〃Is　it；　indeed？〃
  〃Whilst　the　tulip　opened　I　wrote　it　myself；　for　I　did　not
  wish　to　lose　a　moment。　Here　is　the　letter；　and　tell　me
  whether　you　approve　of　it。〃
  Cornelius　took　the　letter；　and　read；　in　a　handwriting　which
  was　much　improved　even　since　the　last　little　note　he　had
  received　from　Rosa；　as　follows：
  〃Mynheer　President；　　The　black　tulip　is　about　to　open；
  perhaps　in　ten　minutes。　As　soon　as　it　is　open；　I　shall　send
  a　messenger　to　you；　with　the　request　that　you　will　come　and
  fetch　it　in　person　from　the　fortress　at　Loewestein。　I　am　the
  daughter　of　the　jailer；　Gryphus；　almost　as　much　of　a　captive
  as　the　prisoners　of　my　father。　I　cannot；　therefore；　bring　to
  you　this　wonderful　flower。　This　is　the　reason　why　I　beg　you
  to　come　and　fetch　it　yourself。
  〃It　is　my　wish　that　it　should　be　called　Rosa　Barlaensis。
  〃It　has　opened；　it　is　perfectly　black；　come；　Mynheer
  President；　come。
  〃I　have　the　honour　to　be　your　humble　servant；
  〃Rosa　Gryphus。
  〃That's　it