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 water like those good ladies
of Haarlem and Dort； who imagine that water could replace
the earth？〃
〃You may make yourself comfortable on that score；〃 said
Rosa； smiling； 〃your bulb is not growing in water。〃
〃I breathe again。〃
〃It is in a good； sound stone pot； just about the size of
the jug in which you had planted yours。 The soil is composed
of three parts of common mould； taken from the best spot of
the garden； and one of the sweepings of the road。 I have
heard you and that detestable Jacob； as you call him； so
often talk about what is the soil best fitted for growing
tulips； that I know it as well as the first gardener of
Haarlem。〃
〃And now what is the aspect； Rosa？〃
〃At present it has the sun all day long； that is to say
when the sun shines。 But when it once peeps out of the
ground； I shall do as you have done here； dear Mynheer
Cornelius： I shall put it out of my window on the eastern
side from eight in the morning until eleven and in my window
towards the west from three to five in the afternoon。〃
〃That's it！ that's it！〃 cried Cornelius； 〃and you are a
perfect gardener； my pretty Rosa。 But I am afraid the
nursing of my tulip will take up all your time。〃
〃Yes； it will；〃 said Rosa； 〃but never mind。 Your tulip is my
daughter。 I shall devote to it the same time as I should to
a child of mine； if I were a mother。 Only by becoming its
mother；〃 Rosa added； smilingly； 〃can I cease to be its
rival。〃
〃My kind and pretty Rosa！〃 muttered Cornelius casting on her
a glance in which there was much more of the lover than of
the gardener； and which afforded Rosa some consolation。
Then； after a silence of some moments； during which
Cornelius had grasped through the openings of the grating
for the receding hand of Rosa； he said；
〃Do you mean to say that the bulb has now been in the ground
for six days？〃
〃Yes； six days； Mynheer Cornelius；〃 she answered。
〃And it does not yet show leaf〃
〃No； but I think it will to…morrow。〃
〃Well； then； to…morrow you will bring me news about it； and
about yourself； won't you； Rosa？ I care very much for the
daughter； as you called it just now； but I care even much
more for the mother。〃
〃To…morrow？〃 said Rosa； looking at Cornelius askance。 〃I
don't know whether I shall be able to come to…morrow。〃
〃Good heavens！〃 said Cornelius； 〃why can't you come
to…morrow？〃
〃Mynheer Cornelius； I have lots of things to do。〃
〃And I have only one；〃 muttered Cornelius。
〃Yes；〃 said Rosa； 〃to love your tulip。〃
〃To love you； Rosa。〃
Rosa shook her head； after which followed a pause。
〃Well；〃 Cornelius at last broke the silence； 〃well；
Rosa； everything changes in the realm of nature； the flowers
of spring are succeeded by other flowers； and the bees；
which so tenderly caressed the violets and the wall…flowers；
will flutter with just as much love about the honey…suckles；
the rose； the jessamine； and the carnation。〃
〃What does all this mean？〃 asked Rosa。
〃You have abandoned me； Miss Rosa； to seek your pleasure
elsewhere。 You have done well； and I will not complain。 What
claim have I to your fidelity？〃
〃My fidelity！〃 Rosa exclaimed； with her eyes full of tears；
and without caring any longer to hide from Cornelius this
dew of pearls dropping on her cheeks； 〃my fidelity！ have I
not been faithful to you？〃
〃Do you call it faithful to desert me； and to leave me here
to die？〃
〃But； Mynheer Cornelius；〃 said Rosa； 〃am I not doing
everything for you that could give you pleasure？ have I not
devoted myself to your tulip？〃
〃You are bitter； Rosa； you reproach me wit