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Updated: June 19, 2025
"At the White Swan; I shall send for him, and if in the meanwhile your Highness will do me the honour of stepping into my drawing-room, he will be sure knowing that your Highness 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."
There was such an expression of truth in the tone of her voice, that Van Systens and the Prince answered simultaneously by an affirmative movement of their heads. "Well, then, I am not an experienced florist; I am only a poor girl, one of the people, who, three months ago, knew neither how to read nor how to write. No, the black tulip has not been found by myself." "But by whom else?"
They will then know how the tulip has been grown, how much care and anxiety, and how many sleepless nights, it has cost. But for the present not a minute must be lost. The messenger! the messenger!" "What's the name of the President?" "Give me the letter, I will direct it. Oh, he is very well known: it is Mynheer van Systens, the burgomaster of Haarlem; give it to me, Rosa, give it to me."
In his wake followed two officers, one of the navy, and the other of the cavalry. Van Systens, having found his way through the frightened domestics, began to bow, almost to prostrate himself before his visitor, who had been the cause of all this stir. "Monseigneur," he called out, "Monseigneur! What distinguished honour is your Highness bestowing for ever on my humble house by your visit?"
Every eye was looking eagerly for the heroine of the festival, that is to say, the black tulip, and for its hero in the person of the one who had grown it. In case this hero should make his appearance after the address we have seen worthy Van Systens at work on so conscientiously, he would not fail to make as much of a sensation as the Stadtholder himself.
"Certainly," said Van Systens, "the prisoner of state ought to be kept in close confinement at Loewestein." "Alas! sir." "And from what you tell me you took advantage of your position, as daughter of the jailer, to communicate with a prisoner of state about the cultivation of flowers." "So it is, sir," Rosa murmured in dismay; "yes, I am bound to confess, I saw him every day."
The news had spread like wildfire through the town. Rosa had not a little difficulty is penetrating a second time 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 set down as mad, or even worse, he grew angry, and wanted to send her away.
Van Systens trembled as he heard such a confession made in the presence of such a witness. "Continue," said William dryly, to the President of the Horticultural Society. "Ah, sir," said Rosa, addressing the person whom she thought to be her real judge, "I am going to incriminate myself very seriously."
"Because I have seen the black tulip only two hours ago." "You have seen the black tulip!" cried Rosa, rushing up to Mynheer van Systens. "As I see you, miss." "But where?" "Well, with your master, of course." "With my master?" "Yes, are you not in the service of Master Isaac Boxtel?" "Yes, you." "But for whom do you take me, sir?" "And for whom do you take me?"
"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 the mansion of Mynheer van Systens, who with his best pen in his finest hand continued to draw up his report. Everywhere on her way Rosa heard people speaking only of the black tulip, and the prize of a hundred thousand guilders.
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