interrupted　in　his　work；　ventured　to　say　to　the　officer；
  〃But；　Captain　van　Deken；　the　protocol　is　not　yet　finished。〃
  〃It　is　not　worth　while　finishing　it；〃　answered　the　officer。
  〃All　right；〃　replied　the　clerk；　philosophically　putting　up
  his　paper　and　pen　into　a　greasy　and　well…worn　writing…case。
  〃It　was　written；〃　thought　poor　Cornelius；　〃that　I　should　not
  in　this　world　give　my　name　either　to　a　child　to　a　flower；　or
  to　a　book；　　the　three　things　by　which　a　man's　memory　is
  perpetuated。〃
  Repressing　his　melancholy　thoughts；　he　followed　the　officer
  with　a　resolute　heart；　and　carrying　his　head　erect。
  Cornelius　counted　the　steps　which　led　to　the　Esplanade；
  regretting　that　he　had　not　asked　the　guard　how　many　there
  were　of　them；　which　the　man；　in　his　official　complaisance；
  would　not　have　failed　to　tell　him。
  What　the　poor　prisoner　was　most　afraid　of　during　this　walk；
  which　he　considered　as　leading　him　to　the　end　of　the　journey
  of　life；　was　to　see　Gryphus　and　not　to　see　Rosa。　What　savage
  satisfaction　would　glisten　in　the　eyes　of　the　father；　and
  what　sorrow　dim　those　of　the　daughter！
  How　Gryphus　would　glory　in　his　punishment！　Punishment？
  Rather　savage　vengeance　for　an　eminently　righteous　deed；
  which　Cornelius　had　the　satisfaction　of　having　performed　as
  a　bounden　duty。
  But　Rosa；　poor　girl！　must　he　die　without　a　glimpse　of　her；
  without　an　opportunity　to　give　her　one　last　kiss；　or　even　to
  say　one　last　word　of　farewell？
  And；　worst　of　all；　must　he　die　without　any　intelligence　of
  the　black　tulip；　and　regain　his　consciousness　in　heaven　with
  no　idea　in　what　direction　he　should　look　to　find　it？
  In　truth；　to　restrain　his　tears　at　such　a　crisis　the　poor
  wretch's　heart　must　have　been　encased　in　more　of　the　aes
  triplex　　〃the　triple　brass〃　　than　Horace　bestows　upon
  the　sailor　who　first　visited　the　terrifying　Acroceraunian
  shoals。
  In　vain　did　Cornelius　look　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　he
  saw　no　sign　either　of　Rosa　or　Gryphus。
  On　reaching　the　Esplanade；　he　bravely　looked　about　for　the
  guards　who　were　to　be　his　executioners；　and　in　reality　saw　a
  dozen　soldiers　assembled。　But　they　were　not　standing　in
  line；　or　carrying　muskets；　but　talking　together　so　gayly
  that　Cornelius　felt　almost　shocked。
  All　at　once；　Gryphus；　limping；　staggering；　and　supporting
  himself　on　a　crooked　stick；　came　forth　from　the　jailer's
  lodge；　his　old　eyes；　gray　as　those　of　a　cat；　were　lit　up　by
  a　gleam　in　which　all　his　hatred　was　concentrated。　He　then
  began　to　pour　forth　such　a　torrent　of　disgusting
  imprecations　against　Cornelius；　that　the　latter；　addressing
  the　officer；　said；
  〃I　do　not　think　it　very　becoming　sir；　that　I　should　be　thus
  insulted　by　this　man；　especially　at　a　moment　like　this。〃
  〃Well！　hear　me；〃　said　the　officer；　laughing；　〃it　is　quite
  natural　that　this　worthy　fellow　should　bear　you　a　grudge；
  you　seem　to　have　given　it　him　very　soundly。〃
  〃But；　sir；　it　was　only　in　self…defence。〃
  〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　Captain；　shrugging　his　shoulders　like
  a　true　philosopher；　〃let　him　talk；　what　does　it　matter　to
  you　now？〃
  The　cold　sweat　stood　on　the　brow　of　Cornelius　at　this
  answer；　which　he　looked　upon　somewhat　in　the　light　of　brutal
  irony；　especially　as　coming　from　an　officer　of　whom　he　had
  heard　it　said　that　he　was　attached　to　the　person　of　the
  Prince。
  The　unfortunate　tulip…fancier　then　felt　that　he　had　no　more
  resources；　and　no　more　friends；　and　resigned　himself　to　his
  fate。
  〃God's　will　be　done；〃　he　muttered；　bowing　his　head；　then；
  turning　towards　the　officer；　who　seemed　complacently　to　wait
  until　he　had　finished　his　meditations　he　asked；
  〃Please；　sir；　tell　me　now；　where　am　I　to　go？〃
  The　officer　pointed　to　a　carriage；　drawn　by　four　horses；
  which　reminded　him　very　strongly　of　that　which；　under
  similar　circumstances；　had　before　attracted　his　attention　at
  Buytenhof。
  〃Enter；〃　said　the　officer。
  〃Ah！〃　muttered　Cornelius　to　himself；　〃it　seems　they　are　not
  going　to　treat　me　to　the　honours　of　the　Esplanade。〃
  He　uttered　these　words　loud　enough　for　the　chatty　guard；　who
  was　at　his　heels；　to　overhear　him。
  That　kind　soul　very　likely　thought　it　his　duty　to　give
  Cornelius　some　new　information；　for；　approaching　the　door　of
  the　carriage；　whilst　the　officer；　with　one　foot　on　the　step；
  was　still　giving　some　orders；　he　whispered　to　Van　Baerle；
  〃Condemned　prisoners　have　sometimes　been　taken　to　their　own
  town　to　be　made　an　example　of；　and　have　then　been　executed
  before　the　door　of　their　own　house。　It's　all　according　to
  circumstances。〃
  Cornelius　thanked　him　by　signs；　and　then　said　to　himself；
  〃Well；　here　is　a　fellow　who　never　misses　giving　consolation
  whenever　an　opportunity　presents　itself。　In　truth；　my
  friend；　I'm　very　much　obliged　to　you。　Goodbye。〃
  The　carriage　drove　away。
  〃Ah！　you　villain；　you　brigand；〃　roared　Gryphus；　clinching
  his　fists　at　the　victim　who　was　escaping　from　his　clutches；
  〃is　it　not　a　shame　that　this　fellow　gets　off　without　having
  restored　my　daughter　to　me？〃
  〃If　they　take　me　to　Dort；〃　thought　Cornelius；　〃I　shall　see；
  in　passing　my　house；　whether　my　poor　borders　have　been　much
  spoiled。〃
  Chapter　30
  Wherein　the　Reader　begins　to　guess　the　Kind　of　Execution　that
  was　awaiting　Van　Baerle
  The　carriage　rolled　on　during　the　whole　day；　it　passed　on
  the　right　of　Dort；　went　through　Rotterdam；　and　reached
  Delft。　At　five　o'clock　in　the　evening；　at　least　twenty
  leagues　had　been　travelled。
  Cornelius　addressed　some　questions　to　the　officer；　who　was
  at　the　same　time　his　guard　and　his　companion；　but；　cautious
  as　were　his　inquiries；　he　had　the　disappointment　of
  receiving　no　answer。
  Cornelius　regretted　that　he　had　no　longer　by　his　side　the
  chatty　soldier；　who　would　talk　without　being　questioned。
  That　obliging　person　would　undoubtedly　have　given　him　as
  pleasant　details　and　exact　explanations　concerning　this
  third　strange　part　of　his　adventures　as　he　had　done
  concerning　the　first　two。
  The　travellers　passed　the　night　in　the　carriage。　On　the
  following　morning　at　dawn　Cornelius　found　himself　beyond
  Leyden；　having　the　North　Sea　on　his　left；　and　the　Zuyder　Zee
  on　his　right。
  Three　hours　after；　he　entered　Haarlem。
  Cornelius　was　not　aware　of　what　had　passed　at　Haarlem；　and
  we　shall　leave　him　in　ignorance　of　it　until　the　course　of
  events　enlightens　him。
  But　the　reader　has　a　right　to　know　all　about　it　even　before
  our　hero；　and　therefore　we　shall　not　make　him　wait。
  We　have　seen　that　Rosa　and　the　tulip；　like　two　orphan
  sisters；　had　been　left　by　Prince　William　of　Orange　at　the
  house　of　the　President　van　Systens。
  Rosa　did　not　hear　again　from　the　Stadtholder　until　the
  evening　of　that　day　on　which　she　had　seen　him　face　to　face。
  Toward　evening；　an　officer　called　at　Van　Systen's　house。　He
  came　from　his　Highness；　with　a　request　for　Rosa　to　appear　at
  the　Town　Hall。
  There；　in　the　large　Council　Room　into　which　she　was　ushered；
  she　found　the　Prince　writing。
  He　was　alone；　with　a　large　Frisian　greyhound　at　his　feet；
  which　looked　at　him　with　a　steady　glance；　as　if　the　faithful
  animal　were　wishing　to　do　what　no　man　could　do；　　read　the
  thoughts　of　his　master　in　his　face。
  William　continued　his　writing　for　a　moment；　then；　raising
  his　eyes；　and　seeing　Rosa　standing　near　the　door；　he　said；
  without　laying　down　his　pen；
  〃Come　here；　my　child。〃
  Rosa　advanced　a　few　steps　towards　the　table。
  〃Sit　down；〃　he　said。
  Rosa　obeyed；　for　the　Prince　was　fixing　his　eyes　upon　her；
  but　he　had　scarcely　turned　them　again　to　his　paper　when　she
  bashfully　retired　to　the　door。
  The　Prince　finished　his　letter。
  During　this　time；　the　greyhound　went　up　to　Rosa；　surveyed
  her　and　began　to　caress　her。
  〃Ah；　ah！〃　said　William　to　his　dog；　〃it's　easy　to　see　that
  she　is　a　countrywoman　of　yours；　and　that　you　recognise　her。〃
  Then；　turning　towards　Rosa；　and　fixing　on　her　his
  scrutinising；　and　at　the　same　time　impenetrable　glance；　he
  said；
  〃Now；　my　child。〃
  The　Prince　was　scarcely　twenty…three；　and　Rosa　eighteen　or
  twenty。　He　might　therefore　perhaps　better　have　said；　My
  sister。
  〃My　child；〃　he　said；　with　that　strangely　commanding　accent
  which　chilled　all　those　who　approached　him；　〃we　are　alone；
  let　us　speak　together。〃
  Rosa　began　to　tremble；　and　yet　there　was　nothing　but
  kindness　in　the　expression　of　the　Prince's　face。
  〃Monseigneur；〃　she　stammered。
  〃You　have　a　father　at　Loewestein？〃
  〃Yes；　your　Highness。〃
  〃You　do　not　love　him？〃
  〃I　do　not；　at　least；　not　as　a　daughter　ought　to　do；
  Monseigneur。〃
  〃It　is　not　right　not　to　love　one's　father；　but　it　is　right
  not　to　tell　a　falsehood。〃
  Rosa　cast　her　eyes　to　the　ground。
  〃What　is　the　reason　of　your　not　loving　your　father？〃
  〃He　is　wicked。〃
  〃In　what　way　does　he　show　his　wickedness？〃
  〃He　ill…treats　the　prisoners。〃
  〃All　of　them？〃
  〃All。〃
  〃But　don't　you　bear　him　a　grudge　for　ill…treating　some　one
  in　particular？〃
  〃My　father　ill…treats　in　particular　Mynheer　van　Baerle；　who
  〃
  〃Who　is　your　lover？〃
  Rosa　started　back　a　step。
  〃Whom　I　love；　Mo