Part 19 (1/2)
”And in apprising you Yes, I understand”
Rosa sighed, yet without any bitter feeling, but rather like a woins to understand a foible, and to accustom herself to it
”I return to your tulip, Mynheer van Baerle, and as soon as it opens I will give you nehich being done the er will set out immediately”
”Rosa, Rosa, I don't knoonder under the sun I shall compare you”
”Compare me to the black tulip, and I proht, then, till we ht, ht, my friend,” said Rosa, a little consoled
”Say, 'My very dear friend'”
”Oh, my friend -- ”
”Very dear friend, I entreat you, say 'very dear,' Rosa, very dear”
”Very dear, yes, very dear,” said Rosa, with a beating heart, beyond herself with happiness
”And now that you have said 'very dear,' dear Rosa, say also 'most happy': say 'happier and more blessed than ever , Rosa”
”And that is?”
”Your cheek, -- your fresh cheek, your soft, rosy cheek Oh, Rosa, give it me of your own free will, and not by chance Ah!”
The prisoner's prayer ended in a sigh of ecstasy; his lips em, but as Saint-Preux's was to meet the lips of Julie a hundred years later
Rosa made her escape
Cornelius stood with his heart upon his lips, and his face glued to the wicket in the door
He was fairly choking with happiness and joy He opened his , and gazed long, with swelling heart, at the cloudless vault of heaven, and thefros with the pure, sweet air, while his brain dwelt upon thoughts of happiness, and his heart overfloith gratitude and religious fervour
”Oh Thou art alatching fro eyes fixed upon the stars: ”forgivethese latter days, for Thou didst hide Thy face behind the clouds, and wert for aFather everlasting! But to-day, this evening, and to-night, again I see Thee in all Thy wondrous glory in the mirror of Thy heavenly abode, and rateful heart”
He ell again, the poor invalid; the wretched captive was free once ht Cornelius, with his heart full of joy and delight, re for every sound
Then casting a glance from time to time towards the lobby, -- ”Down there,” he said, ”is Rosa, watching likefrom minute to minute; down there, under Rosa's eyes, is the mysterious flohich lives, which expands, which opens, perhaps Rosa holds in this ers Touch it gently, Rosa Perhaps she touches with her lips its expanding chalice Touch it cautiously, Rosa, your lips are burning Yes, perhaps at this moment the two objects of my dearest love caress each other under the eye of Heaven”
At this h the whole horizon, falling down, as it were, on the fortress of Loewestein
Cornelius felt a thrill run through his fra a soul to uessed correctly, nearly at that very ht as that of a sylph, and the rustling of a gown, and a well-known voice, which said to him, -- ”Cornelius, my friend, my very dear friend, and very happy friend, co from theto the door, his lips met those of Rosa, who told him, with a kiss, -- ”It is open, it is black, here it is”
”How! here it is?” exclaiht indeed to run soreat joy; here it is, take it”
And with one hand she raised to the level of the grating a dark lantern, which she had lit in the ht the miraculous tulip
Cornelius uttered a cry, and was nearly fainting
”Oh!” muttered he, ”my God, my God, Thou dost reward me for my innocence and row at the gratedof nificent; its steh; it rose froht as iron lance-heads; the whole of the floas as black and shi+ning as jet
”Rosa,” said Cornelius, al, ”Rosa, there is not onethe letter”
”It is written, my dearest Cornelius,” said Rosa
”Is it, indeed?”
”Whilst the tulip opened I wrote it myself, for I did not wish to lose a moment Here is the letter, and tell me whether you approve of it”
Cornelius took the letter, and read, in a handwriting which was much improved even since the last little note he had received from Rosa, as follows: -- ”Mynheer President, -- The black tulip is about to open, perhaps in ten er to you, with the request that you will come and fetch it in person frohter of the jailer, Gryphus, almost as much of a captive as the prisoners ofto you this wonderful flower This is the reason why I beg you to come and fetch it yourself
”It is my wish that it should be called Rosa Barlaensis
”It has opened; it is perfectly black; come, Mynheer President, come
”I have the honour to be your humble servant, ”Rosa Gryphus
”That's it, dear Rosa, that's it Your letter is admirable! I could not have written it with such beautiful siive to the committee all the information that will be required of you They will then kno the tulip has been grown, how hts, it has cost But for the present not a er!”
”What's the name of the President?”
”Give me the letter, I will direct it Oh, he is very well known: it is Mynheer van Systens, the burgoive it tohand Cornelius wrote the address, -- ”To Mynheer Peter van Systens, Burgomaster, and President of the Horticultural Society of Haarleo,” said Cornelius, ”and let us implore the protection of God, who has so kindly watched over us until now”
Chapter 23
The Rival
And in fact the poor young people were in great need of protection