〃My　father　ill…treats　in　particular　Mynheer　van　Baerle；　who
  〃
  〃Who　is　your　lover？〃
  Rosa　started　back　a　step。
  〃Whom　I　love；　Monseigneur；〃　she　answered　proudly。
  〃Since　when？〃　asked　the　Prince。
  〃Since　the　day　when　I　first　saw　him。〃
  〃And　when　was　that？〃
  〃The　day　after　that　on　which　the　Grand　Pensionary　John　and
  his　brother　Cornelius　met　with　such　an　awful　death。〃
  The　Prince　compressed　his　lips；　and　knit　his　brow　and　his
  eyelids　dropped　so　as　to　hide　his　eyes　for　an　instant。　After
  a　momentary　silence；　he　resumed　the　conversation。
  〃But　to　what　can　it　lead　to　love　a　man　who　is　doomed　to　live
  and　die　in　prison？〃
  〃It　will　lead；　if　he　lives　and　dies　in　prison；　to　my　aiding
  him　in　life　and　in　death。〃
  〃And　would　you　accept　the　lot　of　being　the　wife　of　a
  prisoner？〃
  〃As　the　wife　of　Mynheer　van　Baerle；　I　should；　under　any
  circumstances；　be　the　proudest　and　happiest　woman　in　the
  world；　but　　〃
  〃But　what？〃
  〃I　dare　not　say；　Monseigneur。〃
  〃There　is　something　like　hope　in　your　tone；　what　do　you
  hope？〃
  She　raised　her　moist　and　beautiful　eyes；　and　looked　at
  William　with　a　glance　full　of　meaning；　which　was　calculated
  to　stir　up　in　the　recesses　of　his　heart　the　clemency　which
  was　slumbering　there。
  〃Ah；　I　understand　you；〃　he　said。
  Rosa；　with　a　smile；　clasped　her　hands。
  〃You　hope　in　me？〃　said　the　Prince。
  〃Yes；　Monseigneur。〃
  〃Umph！〃
  The　Prince　sealed　the　letter　which　he　had　just　written；　and
  summoned　one　of　his　officers；　to　whom　he　said；
  〃Captain　van　Deken；　carry　this　despatch　to　Loewestein；　you
  will　read　the　orders　which　I　give　to　the　Governor；　and
  execute　them　as　far　as　they　regard　you。〃
  The　officer　bowed；　and　a　few　minutes　afterwards　the　gallop
  of　a　horse　was　heard　resounding　in　the　vaulted　archway。
  〃My　child；〃　continued　the　Prince；　〃the　feast　of　the　tulip
  will　be　on　Sunday　next；　that　is　to　say；　the　day　after
  to…morrow。　Make　yourself　smart　with　these　five　hundred
  guilders；　as　I　wish　that　day　to　be　a　great　day　for　you。〃
  〃How　does　your　Highness　wish　me　to　be　dressed？〃　faltered
  Rosa。
  〃Take　the　costume　of　a　Frisian　bride。〃　said　William；　〃it
  will　suit　you　very　well　indeed。〃
  Chapter　31
  Haarlem
  Haarlem；　whither；　three　days　ago；　we　conducted　our　gentle
  reader；　and　whither　we　request　him　to　follow　us　once　more　in
  the　footsteps　of　the　prisoner；　is　a　pleasant　city；　which
  justly　prides　itself　on　being　one　of　the　most　shady　in　all
  the　Netherlands。
  While　other　towns　boast　of　the　magnificence　of　their
  arsenals　and　dock…yards；　and　the　splendour　of　their　shops
  and　markets；　Haarlem's　claims　to　fame　rest　upon　her
  superiority　to　all　other　provincial　cities　in　the　number　and
  beauty　of　her　spreading　elms；　graceful　poplars；　and；　more
  than　all；　upon　her　pleasant　walks；　shaded　by　the　lovely
  arches　of　magnificent　oaks；　lindens；　and　chestnuts。
  Haarlem；　　just　as　her　neighbour；　Leyden；　became　the　centre
  of　science；　and　her　queen；　Amsterdam；　that　of　commerce；
  Haarlem　preferred　to　be　the　agricultural；　or；　more　strictly
  speaking；　the　horticultural　metropolis。
  In　fact；　girt　about　as　she　was；　breezy　and　exposed　to　the
  sun's　hot　rays；　she　seemed　to　offer　to　gardeners　so　many
  more　guarantees　of　success　than　other　places；　with　their
  heavy　sea　air；　and　their　scorching　heat。
  On　this　account　all　the　serene　souls　who　loved　the　earth　and
  its　fruits　had　gradually　gathered　together　at　Haarlem；　just
  as　all　the　nervous；　uneasy　spirits；　whose　ambition　was　for
  travel　and　commerce；　had　settled　in　Rotterdam　and　Amsterdam；
  and　all　the　politicians　and　selfish　worldlings　at　the　Hague。
  We　have　observed　that　Leyden　overflowed　with　scholars。　In
  like　manner　Haarlem　was　devoted　to　the　gentle　pursuits　of
  peace；　　to　music　and　painting；　orchards　and　avenues；
  groves　and　parks。　Haarlem　went　wild　about　flowers；　and
  tulips　received　their　full　share　of　worship。
  Haarlem　offered　prizes　for　tulip…growing；　and　this　fact
  brings　us　in　the　most　natural　manner　to　that　celebration
  which　the　city　intended　to　hold　on　May　15th；　1673　in　honour
  of　the　great　black　tulip；　immaculate　and　perfect；　which
  should　gain　for　its　discoverer　one　hundred　thousand
  guilders！
  Haarlem；　having　placed　on　exhibition　its　favourite；　having
  advertised　its　love　of　flowers　in　general　and　of　tulips　in
  particular；　at　a　period　when　the　souls　of　men　were　filled
  with　war　and　sedition；　　Haarlem；　having　enjoyed　the
  exquisite　pleasure　of　admiring　the　very　purest　ideal　of
  tulips　in　full　bloom；　　Haarlem；　this　tiny　town；　full　of
  trees　and　of　sunshine；　of　light　and　shade；　had　determined
  that　the　ceremony　of　bestowing　the　prize　should　be　a　fete
  which　should　live　for　ever　in　the　memory　of　men。
  So　much　the　more　reason　was　there；　too；　in　her
  determination；　in　that　Holland　is　the　home　of　fetes；　never
  did　sluggish　natures　manifest　more　eager　energy　of　the
  singing　and　dancing　sort　than　those　of　the　good　republicans
  of　the　Seven　Provinces　when　amusement　was　the　order　of　the
  day。
  Study　the　pictures　of　the　two　Teniers。
  It　is　certain　that　sluggish　folk　are　of　all　men　the　most
  earnest　in　tiring　themselves；　not　when　they　are　at　work；　but
  at　play。
  Thus　Haarlem　was　thrice　given　over　to　rejoicing；　for　a
  three…fold　celebration　was　to　take　place。
  In　the　first　place；　the　black　tulip　had　been　produced；
  secondly；　the　Prince　William　of　Orange；　as　a　true　Hollander；
  had　promised　to　be　present　at　the　ceremony　of　its
  inauguration；　and；　thirdly；　it　was　a　point　of　honour　with
  the　States　to　show　to　the　French；　at　the　conclusion　of　such
  a　disastrous　war　as　that　of　1672；　that　the　flooring　of　the
  Batavian　Republic　was　solid　enough　for　its　people　to　dance
  on　it；　with　the　accompaniment　of　the　cannon　of　their　fleets。
  The　Horticultural　Society　of　Haarlem　had　shown　itself　worthy
  of　its　fame　by　giving　a　hundred　thousand　guilders　for　the
  bulb　of　a　tulip。　The　town；　which　did　not　wish　to　be　outdone；
  voted　a　like　sum；　which　was　placed　in　the　hands　of　that
  notable　body　to　solemnise　the　auspicious　event。
  And　indeed　on　the　Sunday　fixed　for　this　ceremony　there　was
  such　a　stir　among　the　people；　and　such　an　enthusiasm　among
  the　townsfolk；　that　even　a　Frenchman；　who　laughs　at
  everything　at　all　times；　could　not　have　helped　admiring　the
  character　of　those　honest　Hollanders；　who　were　equally　ready
  to　spend　their　money　for　the　construction　of　a　man…of…war
  that　is　to　say；　for　the　support　of　national　honour　　as
  they　were　to　reward　the　growth　of　a　new　flower；　destined　to
  bloom　for　one　day；　and　to　serve　during　that　day　to　divert
  the　ladies；　the　learned；　and　the　curious。
  At　the　head　of　the　notables　and　of　the　Horticultural
  Committee　shone　Mynheer　van　Systens；　dressed　in　his　richest
  habiliments。
  The　worthy　man　had　done　his　best　to　imitate　his　favourite
  flower　in　the　sombre　and　stern　elegance　of　his　garments；　and
  we　are　bound　to　record；　to　his　honour；　that　he　had　perfectly
  succeeded　in　his　object。
  Dark　crimson　velvet；　dark　purple　silk；　and　jet…black　cloth；
  with　linen　of　dazzling　whiteness；　composed　the　festive　dress
  of　the　President；　who　marched　at　the　head　of　his　Committee
  carrying　an　enormous　nosegay；　like　that　which　a　hundred　and
  twenty…one　years　later；　Monsieur　de　Robespierre　displayed　at
  the　festival　of　〃The　Supreme　Being。〃
  There　was；　however；　a　little　difference　between　the　two；
  very　different　from　the　French　tribune；　whose　heart　was　so
  full　of　hatred　and　ambitious　vindictiveness；　was　the　honest
  President；　who　carried　in　his　bosom　a　heart　as　innocent　as
  the　flowers　which　he　held　in　his　hand。
  Behind　the　Committee；　who　were　as　gay　as　a　meadow；　and　as
  fragrant　as　a　garden　in　spring；　marched　the　learned
  societies　of　the　town；　the　magistrates；　the　military；　the
  nobles　and　the　boors。
  The　people；　even　among　the　respected　republicans　of　the
  Seven　Provinces；　had　no　place　assigned　to　them　in　the
  procession；　they　merely　lined　the　streets。
  This　is　the　place　for　the　multitude；　which　with　true
  philosophic　spirit；　waits　until　the　triumphal　pageants　have
  passed；　to　know　what　to　say　of　them；　and　sometimes　also　to
  know　what　to　do。
  This　time；　however；　there　was　no　question　either　of　the
  triumph　of　Pompey　or　of　Caesar；　neither　of　the　defeat　of
  Mithridates；　nor　of　the　conquest　of　Gaul。　The　procession　was
  as　placid　as　the　passing　of　a　flock　of　lambs；　and　as
  inoffensive　as　a　flight　of　birds　sweeping　through　the　air。
  Haarlem　had　no　other　triumphers；　except　its　gardeners。
  Worshipping　flowers；　Haarlem　idolised　the　florist。
  In　the　centre　of　this　pacific　and　fragrant　cortege　the　black
  tulip　was　seen；　carried　on　a　litter；　which　was　covered　with
  white　velvet　and　fringed　with　gold。
  The　handles　of　the　litter　were　supported　by　four　men；　who
  were　from　time　to　time　relieved　by　fresh　relays；　　even　as
  the　bearers　of　Mother　Cybele　used　to　take　turn　and　turn
  about　at　Rome　in　the　ancient　days；　when　she　was　brought　from
  Etruria　to　the　Eternal　City；　amid　the　blare　of　trumpets　and
  the　worship　of　a　whole　nation。
  This　public　exhibition　of　the　tulip　was　an　act　of　adoration
  rendered　by　an　entire　nation；　un