you　had　given　the　prize　to　a　man　for　something　which　he　not
  only　had　not　produced；　but　which　he　had　even　stolen？〃
  Rosa's　speech　seemed　to　have　brought　a　certain　conviction
  into　the　heart　of　Van　Systens；　and　he　was　going　to　answer
  her　in　a　gentler　tone；　when　at　once　a　great　noise　was　heard
  in　the　street；　and　loud　cheers　shook　the　house。
  〃What　is　this？〃　cried　the　burgomaster；　〃what　is　this？　Is　it
  possible？　have　I　heard　aright？〃
  And　he　rushed　towards　his　anteroom；　without　any　longer
  heeding　Rosa；　whom　he　left　in　his　cabinet。
  Scarcely　had　he　reached　his　anteroom　when　he　cried　out　aloud
  on　seeing　his　staircase　invaded；　up　to　the　very
  landing…place；　by　the　multitude；　which　was　accompanying；　or
  rather　following；　a　young　man；　simply　clad　in　a
  violet…coloured　velvet；　embroidered　with　silver；　who；　with　a
  certain　aristocratic　slowness；　ascended　the　white　stone
  steps　of　the　house。
  In　his　wake　followed　two　officers；　one　of　the　navy；　and　the
  other　of　the　cavalry。
  Van　Systens；　having　found　his　way　through　the　frightened
  domestics；　began　to　bow；　almost　to　prostrate　himself　before
  his　visitor；　who　had　been　the　cause　of　all　this　stir。
  〃Monseigneur；〃　he　called　out；　〃Monseigneur！　What
  distinguished　honour　is　your　Highness　bestowing　for　ever　on
  my　humble　house　by　your　visit？〃
  〃Dear　Mynheer　van　Systens；〃　said　William　of　Orange；　with　a
  serenity　which；　with　him；　took　the　place　of　a　smile；　〃I　am　a
  true　Hollander；　I　am　fond　of　the　water；　of　beer；　and　of
  flowers；　sometimes　even　of　that　cheese　the　flavour　of　which
  seems　so　grateful　to　the　French；　the　flower　which　I　prefer
  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。