Черный тюльпан
A Member of the Horticultural Society
ThePrince,observingthefrightofRosaandthepallorofthePresident,raisedhishead,andsaid,inhisclearanddecidedtone,—
“ThiscannotsignifyanythingtothemembersoftheHorticulturalSociety;theyhavetojudgeontheblacktulip,andhavenocognizancetotakeofpoliticaloffences.Goon,youngwoman,goon.”
VanSystens,bymeansofaneloquentglance,offered,inthenameofthetulip,histhankstothenewmemberoftheHorticulturalSociety.
Rosa,reassuredbythissortofencouragementwhichthestrangerwasgivingher,relatedallthathadhappenedforthelastthreemonths,allthatshehaddone,andallthatshehadsuffered.ShedescribedthecrueltyofGryphus;thedestructionofthefirstbulb;thegriefoftheprisoner;theprecautionstakentoinsurethesuccessofthesecondbulb;thepatienceoftheprisonerandhisanxietyduringtheirseparation;howhewasabouttostarvehimselfbecausehehadnolongeranynewsofhistulip;hisjoywhenshewenttoseehimagain;and,lastly,theirdespairwhentheyfoundthatthetulipwhichhadcomeintoflowerwasstolenjustonehourafterithadopened.
Allthiswasdetailedwithanaccentoftruthwhich,althoughproducingnochangeintheimpassiblemienofthePrince,didnotfailtotakeeffectonVanSystens.
“But,”saidthePrince,“itcannotbelongsinceyouknewtheprisoner.”
Rosaopenedherlargeeyesandlookedatthestranger,whodrewbackintothedarkcorner,asifhewishedtoescapeherobservation.
“Why,sir?”sheaskedhim
