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第35章

the black tulip-第35章

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darkness had set in; he slipped the paper under the door; 

and listened with the most intense attention; but he neither 

heard Rosa's footsteps nor the rustling of her gown。 



He only heard a voice as feeble as a breath; and gentle like 

a caress; which whispered through the grated little window 

in the door the word;  



〃To…morrow!〃 



Now to…morrow was the eighth day。 For eight days Cornelius 

and Rosa had not seen each other。 









Chapter 20



The Events which took place during those Eight Days





On the following evening; at the usual hour; Van Baerle 

heard some one scratch at the grated little window; just as 

Rosa had been in the habit of doing in the heyday of their 

friendship。 



Cornelius being; as may easily be imagined; not far off from 

the door; perceived Rosa; who at last was waiting again for 

him with her lamp in her hand。 



Seeing him so sad and pale; she was startled; and said;  



〃You are ill; Mynheer Cornelius?〃 



〃Yes; I am;〃 he answered; as indeed he was suffering in mind 

and in body。 



〃I saw that you did not eat;〃 said Rosa; 〃my father told me 

that you remained in bed all day。 I then wrote to calm your 

uneasiness concerning the fate of the most precious object 

of your anxiety。〃 



〃And I;〃 said Cornelius; 〃I have answered。 Seeing your 

return; my dear Rosa; I thought you had received my letter。〃 



〃It is true; I have received it。〃 



〃You cannot this time excuse yourself with not being able to 

read。 Not only do you read very fluently; but also you have 

made marvellous progress in writing。〃 



〃Indeed; I have not only received; but also read your note。 

Accordingly I am come to see whether there might not be some 

remedy to restore you to health。〃 



〃Restore me to health?〃 cried Cornelius; 〃but have you any 

good news to communicate to me?〃 



Saying this; the poor prisoner looked at Rosa; his eyes 

sparkling with hope。 



Whether she did not; or would not; understand this look; 

Rosa answered gravely;  



〃I have only to speak to you about your tulip; which; as I 

well know; is the object uppermost in your mind。〃 



Rosa pronounced those few words in a freezing tone; which 

cut deeply into the heart of Cornelius。 He did not suspect 

what lay hidden under this appearance of indifference with 

which the poor girl affected to speak of her rival; the 

black tulip。 



〃Oh!〃 muttered Cornelius; 〃again! again! Have I not told 

you; Rosa; that I thought but of you? that it was you alone 

whom I regretted; you whom I missed; you whose absence I 

felt more than the loss of liberty and of life itself?〃 



Rosa smiled with a melancholy air。 



〃Ah!〃 she said; 〃your tulip has been in such danger。〃 



Cornelius trembled involuntarily; and showed himself clearly 

to be caught in the trap; if ever the remark was meant as 

such。 



〃Danger!〃 he cried; quite alarmed; 〃what danger?〃 



Rosa looked at him with gentle compassion; she felt that 

what she wished was beyond the power of this man; and that 

he must be taken as he was; with his little foible。 



〃Yes;〃 she said; 〃you have guessed the truth; that suitor 

and amorous swain; Jacob; did not come on my account。〃 



〃And what did he come for?〃 Cornelius anxiously asked。 



〃He came for the sake of the tulip。〃 



〃Alas!〃 said Cornelius; growing even paler at this piece of 

information than he had been when Rosa; a fortnight before; 

had told him that Jacob was coming for her sake。 



Rosa saw this alarm; and Cornelius guessed; from the 

expression of her face; in what direction her thoughts were 

running。 



〃Oh; pardon me; Rosa!〃 he said; 〃I know you; and I am well 

aware of the kindness and sincerity of your heart。 To you 

God has given the thought and strength for defending 

yourself; but to my poor tulip; when it is in danger; God 

has given nothing of the sort。〃 



Rosa; without replying to this excuse of the prisoner; 

continued;  



〃From the moment when I first knew that you were uneasy on 

account of the man who followed me; and in whom I had 

recognized Jacob; I was even more uneasy myself。 On the day; 

therefore; after that on which I saw you last; and on which 

you said  〃 



Cornelius interrupted her。 



〃Once more; pardon me; Rosa!〃 he cried。 〃I was wrong in 

saying to you what I said。 I have asked your pardon for that 

unfortunate speech before。 I ask it again: shall I always 

ask it in vain?〃 



〃On the following day;〃 Rosa continued; 〃remembering what 

you had told me about the stratagem which I was to employ to 

ascertain whether that odious man was after the tulip; or 

after me  〃 



〃Yes; yes; odious。 Tell me;〃 he said; 〃do you hate that 

man?〃 



〃I do hate him;〃 said Rosa; 〃as he is the cause of all the 

unhappiness I have suffered these eight days。〃 



〃You; too; have been unhappy; Rosa? I thank you a thousand 

times for this kind confession。〃 



〃Well; on the day after that unfortunate one; I went down 

into the garden and proceeded towards the border where I was 

to plant your tulip; looking round all the while to see 

whether I was again followed as I was last time。〃 



〃And then?〃 Cornelius asked。 



〃And then the same shadow glided between the gate and the 

wall; and once more disappeared behind the elder…trees。〃 



〃You feigned not to see him; didn't you?〃 Cornelius asked; 

remembering all the details of the advice which he had given 

to Rosa。 



〃Yes; and I stooped over the border; in which I dug with a 

spade; as if I was going to put the bulb in。〃 



〃And he;  what did he do during all this time?〃 



〃I saw his eyes glisten through the branches of the tree 

like those of a tiger。〃 



〃There you see; there you see!〃 cried Cornelius。 



〃Then; after having finished my make…believe work; I 

retired。〃 



〃But only behind the garden door; I dare say; so that you 

might see through the keyhole what he was going to do when 

you had left?〃 



〃He waited for a moment; very likely to make sure of my not 

coming back; after which he sneaked forth from his 

hiding…place; and approached the border by a long 

round…about; at last; having reached his goal; that is to 

say; the spot where the ground was newly turned; he stopped 

with a careless air; looking about in all directions; and 

scanning every corner of the garden; every window of the 

neighbouring houses; and even the sky; after which; thinking 

himself quite alone; quite isolated; and out of everybody's 

sight; he pounced upon the border; plunged both his hands 

into the soft soil; took a handful of the mould; which he 

gently frittered between his fingers to see whether the bulb 

was in it; and repeated the same thing twice or three times; 

until at last he perceived that he was outwitted。 Then; 

keeping down the agitation which was raging in his breast; 

he took up the rake; smoothed the ground; so as to leave it 

on his retiring in the same state as he had found it; and; 

quite abashed and rueful; walked back to the door; affecting 

the unconcerned air of an ordinary visitor of the garden。〃 



〃Oh; the wretch!〃 muttered Cornelius; wiping the cold sweat 

from his brow。 〃Oh; the wretch! I guessed his intentions。 

But the bulb; Rosa; what have you done with it? It is 

already rather late to plant it。〃 



〃The bulb? It has been in the ground for these six days。〃 



〃Where? and how?〃 cried Cornelius。 〃Good Heaven; what 

imprudence! What is it? In what sort of soil is it? It what 

aspect? Good or bad? Is there no risk of having it filched 

by that detestable Jacob?〃 



〃There is no danger of its being stolen;〃 said Rosa; 〃unless 

Jacob will force the door of my chamber。〃 



〃Oh! then it is with you in your bedroom?〃 said Cornelius; 

somewhat relieved。 〃But in what soil? in what vessel? You 

don't let it grow; I hope; in

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