Boxtel. Well, my child, you express
yourself very badly. The tulip has been stolen, not from you, but from
Mynheer Boxtel."

"I repeat to you, sir, that I do not know who this Mynheer Boxtel is,
and that I have now heard his name pronounced for the first time."

"You do not know who Mynheer Boxtel is, and you also had a black tulip?"

"But is there any other besides mine?" asked Rosa, trembling.

"Yes,--that of Mynheer Boxtel."

"How is it?"

"Black, of course."

"Without speck?"

"Without a single speck, or even point."

"And you have this tulip,--you have it deposited here?"

"No, but it will be, as it has to be exhibited before the committee
previous to the prize being awarded."

"Oh, sir!" cried Rosa, "this Boxtel--this Isaac Boxtel--who calls
himself the owner of the black tulip----"

"And who is its owner?"

"Is he not a very thin man?"

"Bald?"

"Yes."

"With sunken eyes?"

"I think he has."

"Restless, stooping, and bowlegged?"

"In truth, you draw Master Boxtel's portrait feature by feature."

"And the tulip, sir? Is it not in a pot of white and blue earthenware,
with yellowish flowers in a basket on three sides?"

"Oh, as to that I am not quite sure; I looked more at the flower than at
the pot."

"Oh, sir! that's my tulip, which has been stolen from me. I came here to
reclaim it before you and from you."

"Oh! oh!" said Van Systens, looking at Rosa. "What! you are here
to claim the tulip of Master Boxtel? Well, I must say, you are cool
enough."

"Honoured sir," a little put out by this apostrophe, "I do not say that
I am coming to claim the tulip of Master Boxtel, but to reclaim my own."

"Yours?"

"Yes, the one which I have myself planted and nursed."

"Well, then, go and find out Master Boxtel, at the White Swan Inn, and
you can then settle matters with him; as for me, considering that the
cause seems to me as difficult to judge as that which was brought before
King Solomon, and that I do not pretend to be as wise as he was, I shall
content myself with making my report, establishing the existence of the
black tulip, and ordering the hundred thousand guilders to be paid to
its grower. Good-bye, my child."

"Oh, sir, sir!" said Rosa, imploringly.

"Only, my child," continued Van Systens, "as you are young and pretty,
and as there may be still some good in you, I'll give you some good
advice. Be prudent in this matter, for we have a court of justice and
a prison here at