"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 the bait of a hundred thousand guilders may
have tempted her."

"And so she claims the tulip?"

"Yes Monseigneur."

"And what proof does she offer?"

"I was just going to question her when your Highness came in."

"Question her, Mynheer van Systens, question her. I am the first
magistrate of the country; I will hear the case and administer justice."

"I have found my King Solomon," said Van Systens, bowing, and showing
the way to the Prince.

His Highness was just going to walk ahead, but, suddenly recollecting
himself he said--

"Go before me, and call me plain Mynheer."

The two then entered the cabinet.

Rosa was still standing at the same place, leaning on the window, and
looking through the panes into the garden.

"Ah! a Frisian girl," said the Prince, as he observed Rosa's gold
brocade headdress and red petticoat.

At the noise of their footsteps she turned round, but scarcely saw the
Prince, who seated himself in the darkest corner of the apartment.

All her attention, as may be easily imagined, was fixed on that
important person who was called Van Systens, so that she had no time to
notice the humble stranger who was following the master of the house,
and who, for aught she knew, might be somebody or nobody.

The humble stranger took a book down from the shelf, and made Van
Systens a sign to commence the examination forthwith.

Van Systens, likewise at the invitation of the young man in the violet
coat, sat down in his turn, and, quite happy and proud of the importance
thus cast upon him, began,--

"My child, you promise to tell me the truth and the entire truth
concerning this tulip?"

"I promise."

"Well, then, speak before this gentleman; this gentleman is one of the
members of the Horticultural Society."

"What am I to tell you, sir," said Rosa, "beside that which I have told
you already."

"Well, then, what is it?"

"I repeat the question I have addressed to you before."

"Which?"

"That you will order Mynheer Boxtel to come here with his tulip. If I do
not recognise it as mine I will frankly tell it; but if I do recognise
it I will reclaim it, even if I go before his Highness the Stadtholder
himself, with my proofs in my hands."

"You have, then, some proofs, my child?"

"God, who knows my good right, will assist me t