Черный тюльпан
Master and Pupil
“Willyouremainforeverinprison?”shesaid,“andafterhavinggrantedyouyourlife,willnothisHighnessalsograntyouyourliberty?Andwillyounotthenrecoveryourfortune,andbearichman,andthen,whenyouaredrivinginyourowncoach,ridingyourownhorse,willyoustilllookatpoorRosa,thedaughterofajailer,scarcelybetterthanahangman?”
Corneliustriedtocontradicther,andcertainlyhewouldhavedonesowithallhisheart,andwithallthesincerityofasoulfulloflove.
She,however,smilinglyinterruptedhim,saying,“Howisyourtulipgoingon?”
TospeaktoCorneliusofhistulipwasanexpedientresortedtobyhertomakehimforgeteverything,evenRosaherself.
“Verywell,indeed,”hesaid,“thecoatisgrowingblack,thesproutinghascommenced,theveinsofthebulbareswelling,ineightdayshence,andperhapssooner,wemaydistinguishthefirstbudsoftheleavesprotruding.AndyoursRosa?”
“Oh,Ihavedonethingsonalargescale,andaccordingtoyourdirections.”
“Now,letmehear,Rosa,whatyouhavedone,”saidCornelius,withastenderananxietyashehadlatelyshowntoherself.
“Well,”shesaid,smiling,forinherownheartshecouldnothelpstudyingthisdoubleloveoftheprisonerforherselfandfortheblacktulip,“Ihavedonethingsonalargescale;Ihavepreparedabedasyoudescribedittome,onaclearspot,farfromtreesandwalls,inasoilslightlymixedwithsand,rathermoistthandrywithoutafragmentofstoneorpebble.”
“Welldone,Rosa,welldone
