Rosa, beyond herself and nearly mad with joy and fear at theidea of the black tulip being found again, started for theWhite Swan, followed by the boatman, a stout lad fromFrisia, who was strong enough to knock down a dozen Boxtelssingle-handed.

　　He had been made acquainted in the course of the journeywith the state of affairs, and was not afraid of anyencounter; only he had orders, in such a case, to spare thetulip.

　　But on arriving in the great market-place Rosa at oncestopped, a sudden thought had struck her, just as Homer'sMinerva seizes Achilles by the hair at the moment when he isabout to be carried away by his anger.

　　"Good Heaven!" she muttered to herself, "I have made agrievous blunder; it may be I have ruined Cornelius, thetulip, and myself. I have given the alarm, and perhapsawakened suspicion. I am but a woman; these men may leaguethemselves against me, and then I shall be lost. If I amlost that matters nothing, -- but Cornelius and the tulip!"She reflected for a moment.

　　"If I go to that Boxtel, and do not know him; if that Boxtelis not my Jacob, but another fancier, who has alsodiscovered the black tulip; or if my tulip has been stolenby some one else, or has already passed into the hands of athird person; -- if I do not recognize the man, only thetulip, how shall I prove that it belongs to me? On the otherhand, if I recognise this Boxtel as Jacob, who knows whatwill come out of it? whilst we are contesting with eachother, the tulip will die."In the meanwhile, a great noise was heard, like the distantroar of the sea, at the other extremity of the market-place.

　　People were running about, doors opening and shutting, Rosaalone was unconscious of all this hubbub among themultitude.

　　"We must return to the President," she muttered.

　　"Well, then, let us return," said the boatman.

　　They took a small street, which led them straight to themansion of Mynheer van Systens, who with his best pen in hisfinest hand continued to draw up his report.

　　Everywhere on her way Rosa heard people speaking only of theblack tulip, and the prize of a hundred thousand guilders.

　　The news had spread like wildfire through the town.

　　Rosa had not a little difficulty is penetrating a secondtime into the office of Mynheer van Systens, who, however,was again moved by the magic name of the black tulip.

　　But when he recognised Rosa, whom in his own mind he had setdown as mad, or even worse, he grew angry, and wanted tosend her away.

　　Rosa, however, clasped her hands, and said with that tone ofhonest truth which generally finds its way to the hearts ofmen, --"For Heaven's sake, sir, do not turn me away; listen to whatI have to tell you, and if it be not possible for you to dome justice, at least you will not one day have to reproachyourself before God for having made yourself the accompliceof a bad action."Van Systens stamped his foot with impatience; it was thesecond time that Rosa interrupted him in the midst of acomposition which stimulated his vanity, both as aburgomaster and as President of the Horticultural Society.

　　"But my report!" he cried, -- "my report on the blacktulip!""Mynheer van Systens," Rosa continued, with the firmness ofinnocence and truth, "your report on the black tulip will,if you don't hear me, be based on crime or on falsehood. Iimplore you, sir, let this Master Boxtel, whom I assert tobe Master Jacob, be brought here before you and me, and Iswear that I will leave him in undisturbed possession of thetulip if I do not recognise the flower and its holder.""Well, I declare, here is a proposal," said Van Systens.

　　"What do you mean?""I ask you what can be proved by your recognising them?""After all," said Rosa, in her despair, "you are an honestman, sir; how would you feel if one day you found out thatyou had given the prize to a man for something which he notonly had not produced, but which he had even stolen?"Rosa's speech seemed to have brought a certain convictioninto the heart of Van Systens, and he was going to answerher in a gentler tone, when at once a great noise was heardin the street, and loud cheers shook the house.

　　"What is this?" cried the burgomaster; "what is this? Is itpossible? have I heard aright?"And he rushed towards his anteroom, without any longerheeding Rosa, whom he left in his cabinet.

　　Scarcely had he reached his anteroom when he cried out aloudon seeing his staircase invaded, up to the verylanding-place, by the multitude, which was accompanying, orrather following, a young man, simply clad in aviolet-coloured velvet, embroidered with silver; who, with acertain aristocratic slowness, ascended the white stonesteps of the house.

　　In his wake followed two officers, one of the navy, and theother of the cavalry.

　　Van Systens, having found his way through the frighteneddomestics, began to bow, almost to prostrate himself beforehis visitor, who had been the cause of all this stir.

　　"Monseigneur," he called out, "Monseigneur! Whatdistinguished honour is your Highness bestowing for ever onmy humble house by your visit?""Dear Mynheer van Systens," said William of Orange, with aserenity which, with him, took the place of a smile, "I am atrue Hollander, I am fond of the water, of beer, and offlowers, sometimes even of that cheese the flavour of whichseems so grateful to the French; the flower which I preferto all others is, of course, the tulip. I heard at Leydenthat the city of Haarlem at last possessed the black tulip;and, after having satisfied myself of the truth of newswhich seemed so incredible, I have come to know all about itfrom the President of the Horticultural Society.""Oh, Monseigneur, Monseigneur!" said Van Systens, "whatglory to the society if its endeavours are pleasing to yourHighness!""Have you got the flower here?" said the Prince, who, verylikely, already regretted having made such a long speech.

　　"I am sorry to say we have not.""And where is it?""With its owner.""Who is he?""An honest tulip-grower of Dort.""His name?""Boxtel.""His quarters?""At the White Swan; I shall send for him, and if in themeanwhile your Highness will do me the honour of steppinginto my drawing-room, he will be sure -- knowing that yourHighness is here -- to lose no time in bringing his tulip.""Very well, send for him.""Yes, your Highness, but ----"What is it?""Oh, nothing of any consequence, Monseigneur.""Everything is of consequence, Mynheer van Systens.""Well, then, Monseigneur, if it must be said, a littledifficulty has presented itself.""What difficulty?""This tulip has already been claimed by usurpers. It's truethat it is worth a hundred thousand guilders.""Indeed!""Yes, Monseigneur, by usurpers, by forgers.""This is a crime, Mynheer van Systens.""So it is, your Highness.""And have you any proofs of their guilt? '

　　"No, Monseigneur, the guilty woman ---- ""The guilty woman, Sir?""I ought to say, the woman who claims the tulip,Monseigneur, is here in the room close by.""And what do you think of her?""I think, Monseigneur, that t............