Черный тюльпан
The Rival
ButinorderthatBoxtelmightstealthetulip,itwasnecessarythatRosashouldleaveherroom.
Greatthereforewashisjoywhenhesawtheusualeveningmeetingsoftheloversresumed.
HefirstofalltookadvantageofRosa’sabsencetomakehimselffullyacquaintedwithallthepeculiaritiesofthedoorofherchamber.Thelockwasadoubleoneandingoodorder,butRosaalwaystookthekeywithher.
Boxtelatfirstentertainedanideaofstealingthekey,butitsoonoccurredtohim,notonlythatitwouldbeexceedinglydifficulttoabstractitfromherpocket,butalsothat,whensheperceivedherloss,shewouldnotleaveherroomuntilthelockwaschanged,andthenBoxtel’sfirsttheftwouldbeuseless.
Hethoughtit,therefore,bettertoemployadifferentexpedient.Hecollectedasmanykeysashecould,andtriedallofthemduringoneofthosedelightfulhourswhichRosaandCorneliuspassedtogetheratthegratingofthecell.
Twoofthekeysenteredthelock,andoneofthemturnedroundonce,butnotthesecondtime.
Therewas,therefore,onlyalittletobedonetothiskey.
Boxtelcovereditwithaslightcoatofwax,andwhenhethusrenewedtheexperiment,theobstaclewhichpreventedthekeyfrombeingturnedasecondtimeleftitsimpressiononthewax.
ItcostBoxteltwodaysmoretobringhiskeytoperfection,withtheaidofasmallfile.
Rosa’sdoorthusopenedwithoutnoiseandwithoutdifficulty,andBoxtelfoundhimselfinherroomalonewiththetulip.
