The Rival

           Andinfactthepooryoungpeoplewereingreatneedofprotection.

           Theyhadneverbeensonearthedestructionoftheirhopesasatthismoment,whentheythoughtthemselvescertainoftheirfulfilment.

           ThereadercannotbuthaverecognizedinJacobouroldfriend,orratherenemy,IsaacBoxtel,andhasguessed,nodoubt,thatthisworthyhadfollowedfromtheBuytenhoftoLoewesteintheobjectofhisloveandtheobjectofhishatred,—theblacktulipandCorneliusvanBaerle.

           Whatnoonebutatulip-fancier,andanenvioustulip-fancier,couldhavediscovered,—theexistenceofthebulbsandtheendeavoursoftheprisoner,—jealousyhadenabledBoxtel,ifnottodiscover,atleasttoguess.

           Wehaveseenhim,moresuccessfulunderthenameofJacobthanunderthatofIsaac,gainthefriendshipofGryphus,whichforseveralmonthshecultivatedbymeansofthebestGenièvreeverdistilledfromtheTexeltoAntwerp,andhelulledthesuspicionofthejealousturnkeybyholdingouttohimtheflatteringprospectofhisdesigningtomarryRosa.

           Besidesthusofferingabaittotheambitionofthefather,hemanaged,atthesametime,tointeresthiszealasajailer,picturingtohimintheblackestcoloursthelearnedprisonerwhomGryphushadinhiskeeping,andwho,astheshamJacobhadit,wasinleaguewithSatan,tothedetrimentofhisHighnessthePrinceofOrange.

           AtfirsthehadalsomadesomewaywithRosa;not,indeed,inheraffections,butinasmuchas,bytalkingtoherofmarriageandoflove,hehadevadedallthesuspicionswhichhemightotherwisehaveexcited.