Черный тюльпан
The Events which took place during those Eight Days
”
“Howso?Myinstructions?”
“Indeed,yourinstructions,sir,”saidRosa,sighinginherturn;“haveyouforgottenthewillwrittenbyyourhandontheBibleofCorneliusdeWitt?Ihavenotforgottenit;fornow,asIknowhowtoread,Ireaditeverydayoverandoveragain.Inthatwillyoubidmetoloveandmarryahandsomeyoungmanoftwenty-sixoreightyears.Iamonthelook-outforthatyoungman,andasthewholeofmydayistakenupwithyourtulip,youmustneedsleavemetheeveningstofindhim.”
“But,Rosa,thewillwasmadeintheexpectationofdeath,and,thankstoHeaven,Iamstillalive.”
“Well,then,Ishallnotbeafterthehandsomeyoungman,andIshallcometoseeyou.”
“That’sit,Rosa,come!come!”
“Underonecondition.”
“Grantedbeforehand!”
“Thattheblacktulipshallnotbementionedforthenextthreedays.”
“Itshallneverbementionedanymore,ifyouwishit,Rosa.”
“No,no,”thedamselsaid,laughing,“Iwillnotaskforimpossibilities.”
And,sayingthis,shebroughtherfreshcheek,asifunconsciously,soneartheirongrating,thatCorneliuswasabletotouchitwithhislips.
Rosautteredalittlescream,which,however,wasfulloflove,anddisappeared.
