FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  
He heard her calling Cornelius. By the light of the dark lantern he saw the tulip open, and black as the night in which he was hidden. He heard the plan concerted between Cornelius and Rosa to send a messenger to Haarlem. He saw the lips of the lovers meet, and then heard Cornelius send Rosa away. He saw Rosa extinguish the light and return to her chamber. Ten minutes after, he saw her leave the room again, and lock it twice. Boxtel, who saw all this whilst hiding himself on the landing-place of the staircase above, descended step by step from his story as Rosa descended from hers; so that, when she touched with her light foot the lowest step of the staircase, Boxtel touched with a still lighter hand the lock of Rosa's chamber. And in that hand, it must be understood, he held the false key which opened Rosa's door as easily as did the real one. And this is why, in the beginning of the chapter, we said that the poor young people were in great need of the protection of God. Chapter 24. The Black Tulip changes Masters Cornelius remained standing on the spot where Rosa had left him. He was quite overpowered with the weight of his twofold happiness. Half an hour passed away. Already did the first rays of the sun enter through the iron grating of the prison, when Cornelius was suddenly startled at the noise of steps which came up the staircase, and of cries which approached nearer and nearer. Almost at the same instant he saw before him the pale and distracted face of Rosa. He started, and turned pale with fright. "Cornelius, Cornelius!" she screamed, gasping for breath. "Good Heaven! what is it?" asked the prisoner. "Cornelius! the tulip----" "Well?" "How shall I tell you?" "Speak, speak, Rosa!" "Some one has taken--stolen it from us." "Stolen--taken?" said Cornelius. "Yes," said Rosa, leaning against the door to support herself; "yes, taken, stolen!" And saying this, she felt her limbs failing her, and she fell on her knees. "But how? Tell me, explain to me." "Oh, it is not my fault, my friend." Poor Rosa! she no longer dared to call him "My beloved one." "You have then left it alone," said Cornelius, ruefully. "One minute only, to instruct our messenger, who lives scarcely fifty yards off, on the banks of the Waal." "And during that time, notwithstanding all my injunctions, you left the key behind, unfortunate child!" "No, no, no! this is what I cann
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Cornelius
 

staircase

 

touched

 

descended

 

stolen

 
nearer
 
messenger
 

chamber

 
Boxtel
 

prisoner


Stolen

 

injunctions

 
notwithstanding
 

instant

 
Almost
 

approached

 
distracted
 
breath
 

Heaven

 

gasping


screamed

 

started

 

turned

 

fright

 

unfortunate

 

friend

 

minute

 

instruct

 

ruefully

 

beloved


longer

 
failing
 

support

 

scarcely

 

explain

 
leaning
 

landing

 
whilst
 

hiding

 
opened

easily
 

understood

 
lowest
 
lighter
 

hidden

 

concerted

 
calling
 

lantern

 
Haarlem
 

minutes