in the kitchen as in her room, and just as little in the
garden as in the kitchen.
The reader may imagine the anger of the jailer when, after
having made inquiries about the neighbourhood, he heard that
his daughter had hired a horse, and, like an adventuress,
set out on a journey without saying where she was going.
Gryphus again went up in his fury to Van Baerle, abused him,
threatened him, knocked all the miserable furniture of his
cell about, and promised him all sorts of misery, even
starvation and flogging.
Cornelius, without even hearing what his jailer said,
allowed himself to be ill-treated, abused, and threatened,
remaining all the while sullen, immovable, dead to every
emotion and fear.
After having sought for Rosa in every direction, Gryphus
Page 138
Dumas, Alexandre – The Black Tulip
looked out for Jacob, and, as he could not find him either,
he began to suspect from that moment that Jacob had run away
with her.
The damsel, meanwhile, after having stopped for two hours at
Rotterdam, had started again on her journey. On that evening
she slept at Delft, and on the following morning she reached
Haarlem, four hours after Boxtel had arrived there.
Rosa, first of all, caused herself to be led before Mynheer
van Systens, the President of the Horticultural Society of
Haarlem.
She found that worthy gentleman in a situation which, to do
justice to our story, we must not pass over in our
description.
The President was drawing up a report to the committee of
the society.
This report was written on large-sized paper, in the finest
handwriting of the President.
Rosa was announced simply as Rosa Gryphus; but as her name,
well as it might sound, was unknown to the President, she
was refused admittance.
Rosa, however, was by no means abashed, having vowed in her
heart, in pursuing her cause, not to allow herself to be put
down either by refusal, or abuse, or even brutality.
“Announce to the President,” she said to the servant, “that
I want to speak to him about the black tulip.”
These words seemed to be an “Open Sesame,” for she soon
found herself in the office of the President, Van Systens,
who gallantly rose from his chair to meet her.
He was a spare little man, resembling the stem of a flower,
his head forming its chalice, and his two limp arms
representing the double leaf of the tulip; the resemblance
was rendered complete by his waddling gait which made him
even more like that flower when it bends under a breeze.
“Well, miss,” he said, “you are coming, I am told, about the
affair of the black tulip.”
To the President of the Horticultural Society the Tulipa
nigra was a first-rate power, which, in its character as
queen of the tulips, might send ambassadors.
“Yes, sir,” answered Rosa; “I come at least to speak of it.”
“Is it doing well, then?” asked Van Systens, with a smile of
tender veneration.
“Alas! sir, I don’t know,” said Rosa.
“How is that? could any misfortune have happened to it?”
“A very great one, sir; yet not to it, but to me.”
“What?”
Page 139
Dumas, Alexandre – The Black Tulip
“It has been stolen from me.”
“Stolen! the black tulip?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you know the thief?”
“I have my suspicions, but I must not yet accuse any one.”
“But the matter may very easily be ascertained.”
“How is that?”
“As it has been stolen from you, the thief cannot be far
off.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have seen the black tulip only two hours ago.”
“You have seen the black tulip!” cried Rosa, rushing up to
Mynheer van Systens.
“As I see you, miss.”
“But where?”
“Well, with your master, of course.”
“With my master?”
“Yes, are you not in the service of Master Isaac Boxtel?”
“I?”
“Yes, you.”
“But for whom do you take me, sir?”
“And for whom do you take me?”
“I hope, sir, I take you for what you are, — that is to
say, for the honorable Mynheer van Systens, Burgomaster of
Haarlem, and President of the Horticultural Society.”
“And what is it you told me just now?”