eye flashed, and a
death-like paleness spread over his impassible features.

He went up to Rosa, and with his finger, gave her a sign to remove her
hands from her face.

Rosa obeyed, as if under mesmeric influence, without having seen the
sign.

"It was, then to follow this man that you came to me at Leyden to
solicit for the transfer of your father?"

Rosa hung down her head, and, nearly choking, said,--

"Yes, your Highness."

"Go on," said the Prince to Boxtel.

"I have nothing more to say," Isaac continued. "Your Highness knows all.
But there is one thing which I did not intend to say, because I did not
wish to make this girl blush for her ingratitude. I came to Loewestein
because I had business there. On this occasion I made the acquaintance
of old Gryphus, and, falling in love with his daughter, made an offer
of marriage to her; and, not being rich, I committed the imprudence of
mentioning to them my prospect of gaining a hundred thousand guilders,
in proof of which I showed to them the black tulip. Her lover having
himself made a show at Dort of cultivating tulips to hide his political
intrigues, they now plotted together for my ruin. On the eve of the day
when the flower was expected to open, the tulip was taken away by this
young woman. She carried it to her room, from which I had the good luck
to recover it at the very moment when she had the impudence to despatch
a messenger to announce to the members of the Horticultural Society
that she had produced the grand black tulip. But she did not stop there.
There is no doubt that, during the few hours which she kept the flower
in her room, she showed it to some persons whom she may now call as
witnesses. But, fortunately, your Highness has now been warned against
this impostor and her witnesses."

"Oh, my God, my God! what infamous falsehoods!" said Rosa, bursting
into tears, and throwing herself at the feet of the Stadtholder, who,
although thinking her guilty, felt pity for her dreadful agony.

"You have done very wrong, my child," he said, "and your lover shall be
punished for having thus badly advised you. For you are so young, and
have such an honest look, that I am inclined to believe the mischief to
have been his doing, and not yours."

"Monseigneur! Monseigneur!" cried Rosa, "Cornelius is not guilty."

William started.

"Not guilty of having advised you? that's what you want to say, is it
not?"

"What I wish to say, your Highness, is that C