down　either　by　refusal；　or　abuse；　or　even　brutality。
  〃Announce　to　the　President；〃　she　said　to　the　servant；　〃that
  I　want　to　speak　to　him　about　the　black　tulip。〃
  These　words　seemed　to　be　an　〃Open　Sesame；〃　for　she　soon
  found　herself　in　the　office　of　the　President；　Van　Systens；
  who　gallantly　rose　from　his　chair　to　meet　her。
  He　was　a　spare　little　man；　resembling　the　stem　of　a　flower；
  his　head　forming　its　chalice；　and　his　two　limp　arms
  representing　the　double　leaf　of　the　tulip；　the　resemblance
  was　rendered　complete　by　his　waddling　gait　which　made　him
  even　more　like　that　flower　when　it　bends　under　a　breeze。
  〃Well；　miss；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　coming；　I　am　told；　about　the
  affair　of　the　black　tulip。〃
  To　the　President　of　the　Horticultural　Society　the　Tulipa
  nigra　was　a　first…rate　power；　which；　in　its　character　as
  queen　of　the　tulips；　might　send　ambassadors。
  〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Rosa；　〃I　come　at　least　to　speak　of　it。〃
  〃Is　it　doing　well；　then？〃　asked　Van　Systens；　with　a　smile　of
  tender　veneration。
  〃Alas！　sir；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Rosa。
  〃How　is　that？　could　any　misfortune　have　happened　to　it？〃
  〃A　very　great　one；　sir；　yet　not　to　it；　but　to　me。〃
  〃What？〃
  〃It　has　been　stolen　from　me。〃
  〃Stolen！　the　black　tulip？〃
  〃Yes；　sir。〃
  〃Do　you　know　the　thief？〃
  〃I　have　my　suspicions；　but　I　must　not　yet　accuse　any　one。〃
  〃But　the　matter　may　very　easily　be　ascertained。〃
  〃How　is　that？〃
  〃As　it　has　been　stolen　from　you；　the　thief　cannot　be　far
  off。〃
  〃Why　not？〃
  〃Because　I　have　seen　the　black　tulip　only　two　hours　ago。〃
  〃You　have　seen　the　black　tulip！〃　cried　Rosa；　rushing　up　to
  Mynheer　van　Systens。
  〃As　I　see　you；　miss。〃
  〃But　where？〃
  〃Well；　with　your　master；　of　course。〃
  〃With　my　master？〃
  〃Yes；　are　you　not　in　the　service　of　Master　Isaac　Boxtel？〃
  〃I？〃
  〃Yes；　you。〃
  〃But　for　whom　do　you　take　me；　sir？〃
  〃And　for　whom　do　you　take　me？〃
  〃I　hope；　sir；　I　take　you　for　what　you　are；　　that　is　to
  say；　for　the　honorable　Mynheer　van　Systens；　Burgomaster　of
  Haarlem；　and　President　of　the　Horticultural　Society。〃
  〃And　what　is　it　you　told　me　just　now？〃
  〃I　told　you；　sir；　that　my　tulip　has　been　stolen。〃
  〃Then　your　tulip　is　that　of　Mynheer　Boxtel。　Well；　my　child；
  you　express　yourself　very　badly。　The　tulip　has　been　stolen；
  not　from　you；　but　from　Mynheer　Boxtel。〃
  〃I　repeat　to　you；　sir；　that　I　do　not　know　who　this　Mynheer
  Boxtel　is；　and　that　I　have　now　heard　his　name　pronounced　for
  the　first　time。〃
  〃You　do　not　know　who　Mynheer　Boxtel　is；　and　you　also　had　a
  black　tulip？〃
  〃But　is　there　any　other　besides　mine？〃　asked　Rosa；
  trembling。
  〃Yes；　　that　of　Mynheer　Boxtel。〃
  〃How　is　it？〃
  〃Black；　of　course。〃
  〃Without　speck？〃
  〃Without　a　single　speck；　or　even　point。〃
  〃And　you　have　this　tulip；　　you　have　it　deposited　here？〃
  〃No；　but　it　will　be；　as　it　has　to　be　exhibited　before　the
  committee　previous　to　the　prize　being　awarded。〃
  〃Oh；　sir！〃　cried　Rosa；　〃this　Boxtel　　this　Isaac　Boxtel
  who　calls　himself　the　owner　of　the　black　tulip　　〃
  〃And　who　is　its　owner？〃
  〃Is　he　not　a　very　thin　man？〃
  〃Bald？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃With　sunken　eyes？〃
  〃I　think　he　has。〃
  〃Restless；　stooping；　and　bowlegged？〃
  〃In　truth；　you　draw　Master　Boxtel's　portrait　feature　by
  feature。〃
  〃And　the　tulip；　sir？　Is　it　not　in　a　pot　of　white　and　blue
  earthenware；　with　yellowish　flowers　in　a　basket　on　three
  sides？〃
  〃Oh；　as　to　that　I　am　not　quite　sure；　I　looked　more　at　the
  flower　than　at　the　pot。〃
  〃Oh；　sir！　that's　my　tulip；　which　has　been　stolen　from　me。　I
  came　here　to　reclaim　it　before　you　and　from　you。〃
  〃Oh！　oh！〃　said　Van　Systens；　looking　at　Rosa。　〃What！　you　are
  here　to　claim　the　tulip　of　Master　Boxtel？　Well；　I　must　say；
  you　are　cool　enough。〃
  〃Honoured　sir；〃　a　little　put　out　by　this　apostrophe；　〃I　do
  not　say　that　I　am　coming　to　claim　the　tulip　of　Master
  Boxtel；　but　to　reclaim　my　own。〃
  〃Yours？〃
  〃Yes；　the　one　which　I　have　myself　planted　and　nursed。〃
  〃Well；　then；　go　and　find　out　Master　Boxtel；　at　the　White
  Swan　Inn；　and　you　can　then　settle　matters　with　him；　as　for
  me；　considering　that　the　cause　seems　to　me　as　difficult　to
  judge　as　that　which　was　brought　before　King　Solomon；　and
  that　I　do　not　pretend　to　be　as　wise　as　he　was；　I　shall
  content　myself　with　making　my　report；　establishing　the
  existence　of　the　black　tulip；　and　ordering　the　hundred
  thousand　guilders　to　be　paid　to　its　grower。　Good…bye；　my
  child。〃
  〃Oh；　sir；　sir！〃　said　Rosa；　imploringly。
  〃Only；　my　child；〃　continued　Van　Systens；　〃as　you　are　young
  and　pretty；　and　as　there　may　be　still　some　good　in　you；　I'll
  give　you　some　good　advice。　Be　prudent　in　this　matter；　for　we
  have　a　court　of　justice　and　a　prison　here　at　Haarlem；　and；
  moreover；　we　are　exceedingly　ticklish　as　far　as　the　honour
  of　our　tulips　is　concerned。　Go；　my　child；　go；　remember；
  Master　Isaac　Boxtel　at　the　White　Swan　Inn。〃
  And　Mynheer　van　Systens；　taking　up　his　fine　pen；　resumed　his
  report；　which　had　been　interrupted　by　Rosa's　visit。
  Chapter　26
  A　Member　of　the　Horticultural　Society
  Rosa；　beyond　herself　and　nearly　mad　with　joy　and　fear　at　the
  idea　of　the　black　tulip　being　found　again；　started　for　the
  White　Swan；　followed　by　the　boatman；　a　stout　lad　from
  Frisia；　who　was　strong　enough　to　knock　down　a　dozen　Boxtels
  single…handed。
  He　had　been　made　acquainted　in　the　course　of　the　journey
  with　the　state　of　affairs；　and　was　not　afraid　of　any
  encounter；　only　he　had　orders；　in　such　a　case；　to　spare　the
  tulip。
  But　on　arriving　in　the　great　market…place　Rosa　at　once
  stopped；　a　sudden　thought　had　struck　her；　just　as　Homer's
  Minerva　seizes　Achilles　by　the　hair　at　the　moment　when　he　is
  about　to　be　carried　away　by　his　anger。
  〃Good　Heaven！〃　she　muttered　to　herself；　〃I　have　made　a
  grievous　blunder；　it　may　be　I　have　ruined　Cornelius；　the
  tulip；　and　myself。　I　have　given　the　alarm；　and　perhaps
  awakened　suspicion。　I　am　but　a　woman；　these　men　may　league
  themselves　against　me；　and　then　I　shall　be　lost。　If　I　am
  lost　that　matters　nothing；　　but　Cornelius　and　the　tulip！〃
  She　reflected　for　a　moment。
  〃If　I　go　to　that　Boxtel；　and　do　not　know　him；　if　that　Boxtel
  is　not　my　Jacob；　but　another　fancier；　who　has　also
  discovered　the　black　tulip；　or　if　my　tulip　has　been　stolen
  by　some　one　else；　or　has　already　passed　into　the　hands　of　a
  third　person；　　if　I　do　not　recognize　the　man；　only　the
  tulip；　how　shall　I　prove　that　it　belongs　to　me？　On　the　other
  hand；　if　I　recognise　this　Boxtel　as　Jacob；　who　knows　what
  will　come　out　of　it？　whilst　we　are　contesting　with　each
  other；　the　tulip　will　die。〃
  In　the　meanwhile；　a　great　noise　was　heard；　like　the　distant
  roar　of　the　sea；　at　the　other　extremity　of　the　market…place。
  People　were　running　about；　doors　opening　and　shutting；　Rosa
  alone　was　unconscious　of　all　this　hubbub　among　the
  multitude。
  〃We　must　return　to　the　President；〃　she　muttered。
  〃Well；　then；　let　us　return；〃　said　the　boatman。
  They　took　a　small　street；　which　led　them　straight　to　the
  mansion　of　Mynheer　van　Systens；　who　with　his　best　pen　in　his
  finest　hand　continued　to　draw　up　his　report。
  Everywhere　on　her　way　Rosa　heard　people　speaking　only　of　the
  black　tulip；　and　the　prize　of　a　hundred　thousand　guilders。
  The　news　had　spread　like　wildfire　through　the　town。
  Rosa　had　not　a　little　difficulty　is　penetrating　a　second
  time　into　the　office　of　Mynheer　van　Systens；　who；　however；
  was　again　moved　by　the　magic　name　of　the　black　tulip。
  But　when　he　recognised　Rosa；　whom　in　his　own　mind　he　had　set
  down　as　mad；　or　even　worse；　he　grew　angry；　and　wanted　to
  send　her　away。
  Rosa；　however；　clasped　her　hands；　and　said　with　that　tone　of
  honest　truth　which　generally　finds　its　way　to　the　hearts　of
  men；
  〃For　Heaven's　sake；　sir；　do　not　turn　me　away；　listen　to　what
  I　have　to　tell　you；　and　if　it　be　not　possible　for　you　to　do
  me　justice；　at　least　you　will　not　one　day　have　to　reproach
  yourself　before　God　for　having　made　yourself　the　accomplice
  of　a　bad　action。〃
  Van　Systens　stamped　his　foot　with　impatience；　it　was　the
  second　time　that　Rosa　interrupted　him　in　the　midst　of　a
  composition　which　stimulated　his　vanity；　both　as　a
  burgomaster　and　as　President　of　the　Horticultural　Society。
  〃But　my　report！〃　he　cried；　　〃my　report　on　the　black
  tulip！〃
  〃Mynheer　van　Systens；〃　Rosa　continued；　with　the　firmness　of
  innocence　and　truth；　〃your　report　on　the　black　tulip　will；
  if　you　don't　hear　me；　be　based　on　crime　or　on　falsehood。　I
  implore　you；　sir；　let　this　Master　Boxtel；　whom　I　assert　to
  be　Master　Jacob；　be　brought　here　before　you　and　me；　and　I
  swear　that　I　will　leave　him　in　undisturbed　possession　of　the
  tulip　if　I　do　not　recognise　the　flower　and　its　holder。〃
  〃Well；　I　declare；　here　is　a　proposal；〃　said　Van　Systens。
  〃What　do　you　mean？〃
  〃I　ask　you　what　can　be　proved　by　your　recognising　them？〃
  〃After　all；〃　said　Rosa；　in　her　despair；　〃you　are　an　honest
  man；　sir；　how　would　you　feel　if　one　day　you　found　out　that
  you　had　given　the　prize　to　a　man　for　something　which　he　not
  only　had　not　produced；　but　which　he　had　even　stolen？〃