not only might be committing a useless crime, but also the
theft might be discovered in the time which must elapse
until the flower should open.
He therefore — as being in possession of the key, he might
enter Rosa’s chamber whenever he liked — thought it better
to wait and to take it either an hour before or after
opening, and to start on the instant to Haarlem, where the
tulip would be before the judges of the committee before any
one else could put in a reclamation.
Should any one then reclaim it, Boxtel would in his turn
charge him or her with theft.
This was a deep-laid scheme, and quite worthy of its author.
Thus, every evening during that delightful hour which the
two lovers passed together at the grated window, Boxtel
entered Rosa’s chamber to watch the progress which the black
tulip had made towards flowering.
On the evening at which we have arrived he was going to
enter according to custom; but the two lovers, as we have
seen, only exchanged a few words before Cornelius sent Rosa
back to watch over the tulip.
Seeing Rosa enter her room ten minutes after she had left
it, Boxtel guessed that the tulip had opened, or was about
to open.
During that night, therefore, the great blow was to be
struck. Boxtel presented himself before Gryphus with a
double supply of Genievre, that is to say, with a bottle in
each pocket.
Gryphus being once fuddled, Boxtel was very nearly master of
the house.
At eleven o’clock Gryphus was dead drunk. At two in the
morning Boxtel saw Rosa leaving the chamber; but evidently
she held in her arms something which she carried with great
care.
He did not doubt that this was the black tulip which was in
flower.
But what was she going to do with it? Would she set out that
instant to Haarlem with it?
It was not possible that a young girl should undertake such
a journey alone during the night.
Was she only going to show the tulip to Cornelius? This was
more likely.
He followed Rosa in his stocking feet, walking on tiptoe.
He saw her approach the grated window. He heard her calling
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Dumas, Alexandre – The Black Tulip
Cornelius. By the light of the dark lantern he saw the tulip
open, and black as the night in which he was hidden.
He heard the plan concerted between Cornelius and Rosa to
send a messenger to Haarlem. He saw the lips of the lovers
meet, and then heard Cornelius send Rosa away.
He saw Rosa extinguish the light and return to her chamber.
Ten minutes after, he saw her leave the room again, and lock
it twice.
Boxtel, who saw all this whilst hiding himself on the
landing-place of the staircase above, descended step by step
from his story as Rosa descended from hers; so that, when
she touched with her light foot the lowest step of the
staircase, Boxtel touched with a still lighter hand the lock
of Rosa’s chamber.
And in that hand, it must be understood, he held the false
key which opened Rosa’s door as easily as did the real one.
And this is why, in the beginning of the chapter, we said
that the poor young people were in great need of the
protection of God.
Chapter 24
The Black Tulip changes Masters
Cornelius remained standing on the spot where Rosa had left him.
He was quite overpowered with the weight of his twofold happiness.
Half an hour passed away. Already did the first rays of the
sun enter through the iron grating of the prison, when
Cornelius was suddenly startled at the noise of steps which
came up the staircase, and of cries which approached nearer
and nearer.
Almost at the same instant he saw before him the pale and
distracted face of Rosa.
He started, and turned pale with fright.
“Cornelius, Cornelius!” she screamed, gasping for breath.
“Good Heaven! what is it?” asked the prisoner.
“Cornelius! the tulip —- ”
“Well?”
“How shall I tell you?”
“Speak, speak, Rosa!”
“Some one has taken — stolen it from us.”
“Stolen — taken?” said Cornelius.