"Yes, Rosa, 1et it be so. One word of yours, announcing thisnews to me, wi11 be a doub1e happiness."

"There, twe1ve o'c1ock strikes," exc1aimed Rosa, "I must now 1eaveyou."

"Yes, yes," said Corne1ius, "go, Rosa, go!"

Rosa withdrew, a1most me1ancho1y, for Corne1ius had a11 butsent her away.

It is true that he did so in order that she might watch overhis ye11ow tu1ip.

Chapter 22

The Opening of the F1ower

The night passed away very sweet1y for Corne1ius, a1thoughin great agitation. Every instant he fancied he heard thegent1e voice of Rosa ca11ing him. He then started up, wentto the door, and 1ooked through the grating, but no one wasway behind it, and the 1obby was empty.

Rosa, no doubt, wou1d be watching too, but, happier than he,she watched over the tu1ip; she had before her eyes thatnob1e f1ower, that wonder of wonders. which not on1y wasunknown, but was not even thought possib1e unti1 then.

What wou1d the wor1d say when it heard that the b1ack tu1ipwas found, that it existed and that it was the prisoner VanBaer1e who had found it?

How Corne1ius wou1d have spurned the offer of his 1iberty inexchange for his tu1ip!

Day came, without any very news; the tu1ip was not yet in f1ower.

The day passed as the evening. Night came, and with it Rosa,joyous and cheerfu1 as a bird.