On the following evening, as we have said, Rosa returnedwith the Bible of Cornelius de Witt.
Then began between the master and the pupil one of thosecharming scenes which are the delight of the novelist whohas to describe them.
The grated window, the only opening through which the twolovers were able to communicate, was too high forconveniently reading a book, although it had been quiteconvenient for them to read each other's faces.
Rosa therefore had to press the open book against thegrating edgewise, holding above it in her right hand thelamp, but Cornelius hit upon the lucky idea of fixing it tothe bars, so as to afford her a little rest. Rosa was thenenabled to follow with her finger the letters and syllables,which she was to spell for Cornelius, who with a strawpointed out the letters to his attentive pupil through theholes of the grating.
The light of the lamp illuminated the rich complexion ofRosa, her blue liquid eyes, and her golden hair under herhead-dress of gold brocade, with her fingers held up, andshowing in the blood, as it flowed downwards in the veinsthat pale pink hue which shines before the light owing tothe living transparency of the flesh tint.
Rosa's intellect rapidly developed itself under theanimating influence of Cornelius, and when the difficultiesseemed too arduous, the sympathy of two loving hearts seemedto smooth them away.
And Rosa, after having returned to her room, repeated in hersolitude the reading lessons, and at the same time recalledall the delight which she had felt whilst receiving them.
One evening she came half an hour later than usual. This wastoo extraordinary an instance not to call forth at onceCornelius's inquiries after its cause.
"Oh! do not be angry with me," she said, "it is not myfault. My father has renewed an acquaintance with an oldcrony who used to visit him at the Hague, and to ask him tolet him see the prison. He is a good sort of fellow, fond ofhis bottle, tells funny stories, and moreover is very freewith his money, so as always to be ready to stand a treat.""You don't know anything further of him?" asked Cornelius,surprised.
"No," she answered; "it's only for about a fortnight that myfather has taken such a fancy to this friend who is soassiduous in visiting him.""Ah, so," said Cornelius, shaking his head uneasily as everynew incident seemed to him to forebode some catastrophe;"very likely some spy, one of those who are sent into jailsto watch both prisoners and their keepers.""I don't believe that," said Rosa, smiling; "if that worthyperson is spying after any one, it is certainly not after myfather.""After whom, then?""Me, for instance.""You?""Why not?" said Rosa, smiling.
"Ah, that's true," Cornelius observed, with a sigh. "Youwill not always have suitors in vain; this man may becomeyour husband.""I don't say anything to the contrary.""What cause have you to entertain such a happy prospect?""Rather say, this fear, Mynheer Cornelius.""Thank you, Rosa, you are right; well, I will say then, thisfear?""I have only this reason ---- ""Tell me, I am anxious to hear.""This man came several times before to the Buytenhof, at theHague. I remember now, it was just about the time when youwere confined there. When I left, he left too; when I camehere, he came after me. At the Hague his pretext was that hewanted to see you.""See me?""Yes, it must have undoubtedly been only a pretext for now,when he could plead the same reason, as you are my father'sprisoner again, he does not care any longer for you; quitethe contrary, -- I heard him say to my father only yesterdaythat he did not know you.""Go on, Rosa, pray do, that I may guess who that man is, andwhat he wants.""Are you quite sure, Mynheer Cornelius, that none of yourfriends can interest himself for you?""I have no friends, Rosa; I have only my old nurse, whom youknow, and who knows you. Alas, poor Sue! she would comeherself, and use no roundabout ways. She would at once sayto your father, or to you, 'My good sir, or my good miss, mychild is here; see how grieved I am; let me see him only forone hour, and I'll pray for you as long as I live.' No, no,"continued Cornelius; "with the exception of my poor old Sue,I have no friends in this world.""Then I come back to what I thought before; and the more soas last evening at sunset, whilst I was arranging the borderwhere I am to plant your bulb, I saw a shadow glidingbetween the alder trees and the aspens. I did not appear tosee him, but it was this man. He concealed himself and sawme digging the ground, and certainly it was me whom hefollowed, and me whom he was spying after. I could not movemy rake, or touch one atom of soil, without his noticingit.""Oh, yes, yes, he is in love with you," said Cornelius. "Ishe young? Is he handsome?"Saying this he looked anxiously at Rosa, eagerly waiting forher answer.
"Young? handsome?" cried Rosa, bursting into a laugh. "He ishideous to look at; crooked, nearly fifty years of age, andnever dares to look me in the face, or to speak, except inan undertone.""And his name?""Jacob Gisels.""I don't know him.""Then you see that, at all events, he does not come afteryou.""At any rate, if he loves you, Rosa, which is very likely,as to see you is to love you, at least you don't love him.""To be sure I don't.""Then you wish me to keep my mind easy?""I should certainly ask you to do so.""Well, then, now as you begin to know how to read you willread all that I write to you of the pangs of jealousy and ofabsence, won't you, Rosa?""I shall read it, if you write with good big letters."Then, as the turn which the conversation took began to makeRosa uneasy, she asked, --"By the bye, how is your tulip going on?""Oh, Rosa, only imagine my joy, this morning I looked at itin the sun, and after having moved the soil aside whichcovers the bulb, I saw the first sprouting of the leaves.
This small germ has caused me a much greater emotion thanthe order of his Highness which turned aside the swordalready raised at the Buytenhof.""You hope, then?" said Rosa, smiling.
"Yes, yes, I hope.""And I, in my turn, when shall I plant my bulb?""Oh, the first favourable day I will tell you; but, whateveryou do, let nobody help you, and don't confide your secretto any one in the world; do you see, a connoisseur by merelylooking at the bulb would be able to distinguish its value;and so, my dearest Rosa, be careful in locking up the thirdsucker which remains to you.""It is still wrapped up in the same paper in which you putit, and just as you gave it me. I have laid it at the bottomof my chest under my point lace, which keeps it dry, withoutpressing upon it. But good night, my poor captivegentleman.""How? already?""It must be, it must be.""Coming so late and going so soon.""My father might grow impatient not seeing me return, andthat precious l............