Черный тюльпан
The Maid and the Flower
Hepounceduponit,openedit,andreadthefollowingwords,inahandwritingwhichhecouldscarcelyhaverecognizedasthatofRosa,somuchhadsheimprovedduringhershortabsenceofsevendays,—
“Beeasy;yourtulipisgoingonwell.”
AlthoughthesefewwordsofRosa’ssomewhatsoothedthegriefofCornelius,yethefeltnotthelesstheironywhichwasatthebottomofthem.Rosa,then,wasnotill,shewasoffended;shehadnotbeenforciblypreventedfromcoming,buthadvoluntarilystayedaway.ThusRosa,beingatliberty,foundinherownwilltheforcenottocomeandseehim,whowasdyingwithgriefatnothavingseenher.
CorneliushadpaperandapencilwhichRosahadbroughttohim.Heguessedthatsheexpectedananswer,butthatshewouldnotcomebeforetheeveningtofetchit.Hethereforewroteonapieceofpaper,similartothatwhichhehadreceived,—
“Itwasnotmyanxietyaboutthetulipthathasmademeill,butthegriefatnotseeingyou.”
AfterGryphushadmadehislastvisitoftheday,anddarknesshadsetin,heslippedthepaperunderthedoor,andlistenedwiththemostintenseattention,butheneitherheardRosa’sfootstepsnortherustlingofhergown.
Heonlyheardavoiceasfeebleasabreath,andgentlelikeacaress,whichwhisperedthroughthegratedlittlewindowinthedoortheword,—
“To-morrow!”
Nowto-morrowwastheeighthday.ForeightdaysCorneliusandRosahadnotseeneachother.
