This　public　exhibition　of　the　tulip　was　an　act　of　adoration
  rendered　by　an　entire　nation；　unlettered　and　unrefined；　to
  the　refinement　and　culture　of　its　illustrious　and　devout
  leaders；　whose　blood　had　stained　the　foul　pavement　of　the
  Buytenhof；　reserving　the　right　at　a　future　day　to　inscribe
  the　names　of　its　victims　upon　the　highest　stone　of　the　Dutch
  Pantheon。
  It　was　arranged　that　the　Prince　Stadtholder　himself　should
  give　the　prize　of　a　hundred　thousand　guilders；　which
  interested　the　people　at　large；　and　it　was　thought　that
  perhaps　he　would　make　a　speech　which　interested　more
  particularly　his　friends　and　enemies。
  For　in　the　most　insignificant　words　of　men　of　political
  importance　their　friends　and　their　opponents　always
  endeavour　to　detect；　and　hence　think　they　can　interpret；
  something　of　their　true　thoughts。
  As　if　your　true　politician's　hat　were　not　a　bushel　under
  which　he　always　hides　his　light！
  At　length　the　great　and　long…expected　day　　May　15；　1673
  arrived；　and　all　Haarlem；　swelled　by　her　neighbours；　was
  gathered　in　the　beautiful　tree…lined　streets；　determined　on
  this　occasion　not　to　waste　its　applause　upon　military
  heroes；　or　those　who　had　won　notable　victories　in　the　field
  of　science；　but　to　reserve　their　applause　for　those　who　had
  overcome　Nature；　and　had　forced　the　inexhaustible　mother　to
  be　delivered　of　what　had　theretofore　been　regarded　as
  impossible；　　a　completely　black　tulip。
  Nothing　however；　is　more　fickle　than　such　a　resolution　of
  the　people。　When　a　crowd　is　once　in　the　humour　to　cheer；　it
  is　just　the　same　as　when　it　begins　to　hiss。　It　never　knows
  when　to　stop。
  It　therefore；　in　the　first　place；　cheered　Van　Systens　and
  his　nosegay；　then　the　corporation；　then　followed　a　cheer　for
  the　people；　and；　at　last；　and　for　once　with　great　justice；
  there　was　one　for　the　excellent　music　with　which　the
  gentlemen　of　the　town　councils　generously　treated　the
  assemblage　at　every　halt。
  Every　eye　was　looking　eagerly　for　the　heroine　of　the
  festival；　　that　is　to　say；　the　black　tulip；　　and　for　its
  hero　in　the　person　of　the　one　who　had　grown　it。
  In　case　this　hero　should　make　his　appearance　after　the
  address　we　have　seen　worthy　Van　Systens　at　work　on　so
  conscientiously；　he　would　not　fail　to　make　as　much　of　a
  sensation　as　the　Stadtholder　himself。
  But　the　interest　of　the　day's　proceedings　for　us　is　centred
  neither　in　the　learned　discourse　of　our　friend　Van　Systens；
  however　eloquent　it　might　be；　nor　in　the　young　dandies；
  resplendent　in　their　Sunday　clothes；　and　munching　their
  heavy　cakes；　nor　in　the　poor　young　peasants；　gnawing　smoked
  eels　as　if　they　were　sticks　of　vanilla　sweetmeat；　neither　is
  our　interest　in　the　lovely　Dutch　girls；　with　red　cheeks　and
  ivory　bosoms；　nor　in　the　fat；　round　mynheers；　who　had　never
  left　their　homes　before；　nor　in　the　sallow；　thin　travellers
  from　Ceylon　or　Java；　nor　in　the　thirsty　crowds；　who　quenched
  their　thirst　with　pickled　cucumbers；　　no；　so　far　as　we　are
  concerned；　the　real　interest　of　the　situation；　the
  fascinating；　dramatic　interest；　is　not　to　be　found　here。
  Our　interest　is　in　a　smiling；　sparkling　face　to　be　seen　amid
  the　members　of　the　Horticultural　Committee；　in　the　person
  with　a　flower　in　his　belt；　combed　and　brushed；　and　all　clad
  in　scarlet；　　a　colour　which　makes　his　black　hair　and
  yellow　skin　stand　out　in　violent　contrast。
  This　hero；　radiant　with　rapturous　joy；　who　had　the
  distinguished　honour　of　making　the　people　forget　the　speech
  of　Van　Systens；　and　even　the　presence　of　the　Stadtholder；
  was　Isaac　Boxtel；　who　saw；　carried　on　his　right　before　him；
  the　black　tulip；　his　pretended　daughter；　and　on　his　left；　in
  a　large　purse；　the　hundred　thousand　guilders　in　glittering
  gold　pieces；　towards　which　he　was　constantly　squinting；
  fearful　of　losing　sight　of　them　for　one　moment。
  Now　and　then　Boxtel　quickened　his　step　to　rub　elbows　for　a
  moment　with　Van　Systens。　He　borrowed　a　little　importance
  from　everybody　to　make　a　kind　of　false　importance　for
  himself；　as　he　had　stolen　Rosa's　tulip　to　effect　his　own
  glory；　and　thereby　make　his　fortune。
  Another　quarter　of　an　hour　and　the　Prince　will　arrive　and
  the　procession　will　halt　for　the　last　time；　after　the　tulip
  is　placed　on　its　throne；　the　Prince；　yielding　precedence　to
  this　rival　for　the　popular　adoration；　will　take　a
  magnificently　emblazoned　parchment；　on　which　is　written　the
  name　of　the　grower；　and　his　Highness；　in　a　loud　and　audible
  tone；　will　proclaim　him　to　be　the　discoverer　of　a　wonder；
  that　Holland；　by　the　instrumentality　of　him；　Boxtel；　has
  forced　Nature　to　produce　a　black　flower；　which　shall
  henceforth　be　called　Tulipa　nigra　Boxtellea。
  From　time　to　time；　however；　Boxtel　withdrew　his　eyes　for　a
  moment　from　the　tulip　and　the　purse；　timidly　looking　among
  the　crowd；　for　more　than　anything　he　dreaded　to　descry　there
  the　pale　face　of　the　pretty　Frisian　girl。
  She　would　have　been　a　spectre　spoiling　the　joy　of　the
  festival　for　him；　just　as　Banquo's　ghost　did　that　of
  Macbeth。
  And　yet；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　this　wretch；　who　had
  stolen　what　was　the　boast　of　man；　and　the　dowry　of　a　woman；
  did　not　consider　himself　as　a　thief。　He　had　so　intently
  watched　this　tulip；　followed　it　so　eagerly　from　the　drawer
  in　Cornelius's　dry…room　to　the　scaffold　of　the　Buytenhof；
  and　from　the　scaffold　to　the　fortress　of　Loewestein；　he　had
  seen　it　bud　and　grow　in　Rosa's　window；　and　so　often　warmed
  the　air　round　it　with　his　breath；　that　he　felt　as　if　no　one
  had　a　better　right　to　call　himself　its　producer　than　he　had；
  and　any　one　who　would　now　take　the　black　tulip　from　him
  would　have　appeared　to　him　as　a　thief。
  Yet　he　did　not　perceive　Rosa；　his　joy　therefore　was　not
  spoiled。
  In　the　centre　of　a　circle　of　magnificent　trees；　which　were
  decorated　with　garlands　and　inscriptions；　the　procession
  halted；　amidst　the　sounds　of　lively　music；　and　the　young
  damsels　of　Haarlem　made　their　appearance　to　escort　the　tulip
  to　the　raised　seat　which　it　was　to　occupy　on　the　platform；
  by　the　side　of　the　gilded　chair　of　his　Highness　the
  Stadtholder。
  And　the　proud　tulip；　raised　on　its　pedestal；　soon　overlooked
  the　assembled　crowd　of　people；　who　clapped　their　hands；　and
  made　the　old　town　of　Haarlem　re…echo　with　their　tremendous
  cheers。
  Chapter　32
  A　Last　Request
  At　this　solemn　moment；　and　whilst　the　cheers　still
  resounded；　a　carriage　was　driving　along　the　road　on　the
  outskirts　of　the　green　on　which　the　scene　occurred；　it
  pursued　its　way　slowly；　on　account　of　the　flocks　of　children
  who　were　pushed　out　of　the　avenue　by　the　crowd　of　men　and
  women。
  This　carriage；　covered　with　dust；　and　creaking　on　its　axles；
  the　result　of　a　long　journey；　enclosed　the　unfortunate　Van
  Baerle；　who　was　just　beginning　to　get　a　glimpse　through　the
  open　window　of　the　scene　which　we　have　tried　　with　poor
  success；　no　doubt　　to　present　to　the　eyes　of　the　reader。
  The　crowd　and　the　noise　and　the　display　of　artificial　and
  natural　magnificence　were　as　dazzling　to　the　prisoner　as　a
  ray　of　light　flashing　suddenly　into　his　dungeon。
  Notwithstanding　the　little　readiness　which　his　companion　had
  shown　in　answering　his　questions　concerning　his　fate；　he
  ventured　once　more　to　ask　the　meaning　of　all　this　bustle；
  which　at　first　sight　seemed　to　be　utterly　disconnected　with
  his　own　affairs。
  〃What　is　all　this；　pray；　Mynheer　Lieutenant？〃　he　asked　of
  his　conductor。
  〃As　you　may　see；　sir；〃　replied　the　officer；　〃it　is　a　feast。〃
  〃Ah；　a　feast；〃　said　Cornelius；　in　the　sad　tone　of
  indifference　of　a　man　to　whom　no　joy　remains　in　this　world。
  Then；　after　some　moments；　silence；　during　which　the　carriage
  had　proceeded　a　few　yards；　he　asked　once　more；
  〃The　feast　of　the　patron　saint　of　Haarlem？　as　I　see　so　many
  flowers。〃
  〃It　is；　indeed；　a　feast　in　which　flowers　play　a　principal
  part。〃
  〃Oh；　the　sweet　scents！　oh；　the　beautiful　colours！〃　cried
  Cornelius。
  〃Stop；　that　the　gentleman　may　see；〃　said　the　officer；　with
  that　frank　kindliness　which　is　peculiar　to　military　men；　to
  the　soldier　who　was　acting　as　postilion。
  〃Oh；　thank　you；　Sir；　for　your　kindness；〃　replied　Van　Baerle；
  in　a　melancholy　tone；　〃the　joy　of　others　pains　me；　please
  spare　me　this　pang。〃
  〃Just　as　you　wish。　Drive　on！　I　ordered　the　driver　to　stop
  because　I　thought　it　would　please　you；　as　you　are　said　to
  love　flowers；　and　especially　that　the　feast　of　which　is
  celebrated　to…day。〃
  〃And　what　flower　is　that？〃
  〃The　tulip。〃
  〃The　tulip！〃　cried　Van　Baerle；　〃is　to…day　the　feast　of
  tulips？〃
  〃Yes；　sir；　but　as　this　spectacle　displeases　you；　let　us
  drive　on。〃
  The　officer　was　about　to　give　the　order　to　proceed；　but
  Cornelius　stopped　him；　a　painful　thought　having　struck　him。
  He　asked；　with　faltering　voice；
  〃Is　the　prize　given　to…day；　sir？〃
  〃Yes；　the　prize　for　the　black　tulip。〃
  Cornelius's　cheek　flushed；　his　whole　frame　trembled；　and　the
  cold　sweat　stood　on　his　brow。
  〃Alas！　sir；〃　he　said；　〃all　these　good　people　will　be　as
  unfortunate　as　myself；　for　they　will　not　see　the　solemnity
  which　they　have　come　to　witness；　or