Dumas, Alexandre – The Black Tulip

proud of the importance thus cast upon him, began, —

“My child, you promise to tell me the truth and the entire

truth concerning this tulip?”

“I promise.”

“Well, then, speak before this gentleman; this gentleman is

one of the members of the Horticultural Society.”

“What am I to tell you, sir,” said Rosa, “beside that which

I have told you already.”

“Well, then, what is it?”

“I repeat the question I have addressed to you before.”

“Which?”

“That you will order Mynheer Boxtel to come here with his

tulip. If I do not recognise it as mine I will frankly tell

it; but if I do recognise it I will reclaim it, even if I go

before his Highness the Stadtholder himself, with my proofs

in my hands.”

“You have, then, some proofs, my child?”

“God, who knows my good right, will assist me to some.”

Van Systens exchanged a look with the Prince, who, since the

first words of Rosa, seemed to try to remember her, as if it

were not for the first time that this sweet voice rang in

his ears.

An officer went off to fetch Boxtel, and Van Systens in the

meanwhile continued his examination.

“And with what do you support your assertion that you are

the real owner of the black tulip?”

“With the very simple fact of my having planted and grown it

in my own chamber.”

“In your chamber? Where was your chamber?”

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“At Loewestein.”

“You are from Loewestein?”

“I am the daughter of the jailer of the fortress.”

The Prince made a little movement, as much as to say, “Well,

that’s it, I remember now.”

And, all the while feigning to be engaged with his book, he

watched Rosa with even more attention than he had before.

“And you are fond of flowers?” continued Mynheer van

Systens.

“Yes, sir.”

“Then you are an experienced florist, I dare say?”

Rosa hesitated a moment; then with a tone which came from

the depth of her heart, she said, —

“Gentlemen, I am speaking to men of honor.”

There was such an expression of truth in the tone of her

voice, that Van Systens and the Prince answered

simultaneously by an affirmative movement of their heads.

“Well, then, I am not an experienced florist; I am only a

poor girl, one of the people, who, three months ago, knew

neither how to read nor how to write. No, the black tulip

has not been found by myself.”

“But by whom else?”

“By a poor prisoner of Loewestein.”

“By a prisoner of Loewestein?” repeated the Prince.

The tone of his voice startled Rosa, who was sure she had

heard it before.

“By a prisoner of state, then,” continued the Prince, “as

there are none else there.”

Having said this he began to read again, at least in

appearance.

“Yes,” said Rosa, with a faltering voice, “yes, by a

prisoner of state.”

Van Systens trembled as he heard such a confession made in

the presence of such a witness.

“Continue,” said William dryly, to the President of the

Horticultural Society.

“Ah, sir,” said Rosa, addressing the person whom she thought

to be her real judge, “I am going to incriminate myself very

seriously.”

“Certainly,” said Van Systens, “the prisoner of state ought

to be kept in close confinement at Loewestein.”

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“Alas! sir.”

“And from what you tell me you took advantage of your

position, as daughter of the jailer, to communicate with a

prisoner of state about the cultivation of flowers.”

“So it is, sir,” Rosa murmured in dismay; “yes, I am bound

to confess, I saw him every day.”

“Unfortunate girl!” exclaimed Van Systens.

The Prince, observing the fright of Rosa and the pallor of

the President, raised his head, and said, in his clear and

decided tone, —

“This cannot signify anything to the members of the

Horticultural Society; they have to judge on the black

tulip, and have no cognizance to take of political offences.

Go on, young woman, go on.”

Van Systens, by means of an eloquent glance, offered, in the

name of the tulip, his thanks to the new member of the