Part 21 (1/2)
The man had only a theel chaise, and this was the vehicle which Boxtel had hired since last evening, and in which he was now driving along the road to Delft; for the road fro to thethe country, is exceedingly circuitous
Not being able to procure a vehicle, Rosa was obliged to take a horse, hich the stable-keeper readily intrusted her, knowing her to be the daughter of the jailer of the fortress
Rosa hoped to overtake her er, a kind-hearted and honest lad, whoht at the sauide and a protector
And in fact she had not proceededone of the side paths of a very pretty road by the river Setting her horse off at a canter, she soon came up with him
The honest lad was not aware of the ie; nevertheless, he used as much speed as if he had known it; and in less than an hour he had already gone a league and a half
Rosa took from him the note, which had now become useless, and explained to him what she wanted him to do for her The boat to keep pace with the horse if Rosa would allow him to take hold of either the croup or the bridle of her horse The two travellers had been on their way for five hours, and ues, and yet Gryphus had not the least suspicion of his daughter having left the fortress
The jailer, as of a very spiteful and cruel disposition, chuckled within hihter's heart
But whilst he was congratulating hi such a nice story to tell to his boon companion, Jacob, that worthy was on his road to Delft; and, thanks to the swiftness of the horse, had already the start of Rosa and her coues
And whilst the affectionate father was rejoicing at the thought of his daughter weeping in her roo the best of her way towards Haarleht him to be
Rosa was so little with her father since she took care of the tulip, that at his dinner hour, that is to say, at twelve o'clock, he was rehter was fretting rather too long
He sent one of the under-turnkeys to call her; and, when the ht her in vain, he resolved to go and call her himself
He first went to her room, but, loud as he knocked, Rosa answered not
The locksmith of the fortress was sent for; he opened the door, but Gryphus no more found Rosa than she had found the tulip
At that very moment she entered Rotterdam
Gryphus therefore had just as little chance of finding her in the kitchen as in her rooarden as in the kitchen
The readerhter 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 pro
Cornelius, without even hearing what his jailer said, allowed hi all the while sullen, i sought for Rosa in every direction, Gryphus looked out for Jacob, and, as he could not find hian to suspect from that moment that Jacob had run aith her
The da stopped for two hours at Rotterda she slept at Delft, and on the followingshe 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 Haarleentleman 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 coe-sized paper, in the finest handwriting of the President
Rosa was announced siht sound, was unknown to the President, she was refused ad 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 tothe ste its chalice, and his two li the double leaf of the tulip; the reseait which made him even more like that flohen it bends under a breeze
”Well, , I am told, about the affair of the black tulip”
To the President of the Horticultural Society the Tulipa nigra was a first-rate pohich, in its character as queen of the tulips, ht send ambassadors
”Yes, sir,” answered Rosa; ”I co well, then?” asked Van Systens, with a smile of tender veneration
”Alas! sir, I don't know,” said Rosa
”How is that? could any reat one, sir; yet not to it, but to me”
”What?”
”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, rushi+ng up to Mynheer van Systens
”As I see you, miss”
”But where?”