n this world.

Then, after some moments, silence, during which the carriage had
proceeded a few yards, he asked once more,--

"The feast of the patron saint of Haarlem? as I see so many flowers."

"It is, indeed, a feast in which flowers play a principal part."

"Oh, the sweet scents! oh, the beautiful colours!" cried Cornelius.

"Stop, that the gentleman may see," said the officer, with that frank
kindliness which is peculiar to military men, to the soldier who was
acting as postilion.

"Oh, thank you, Sir, for your kindness," replied Van Baerle, in a
melancholy tone; "the joy of others pains me; please spare me this
pang."

"Just as you wish. Drive on! I ordered the driver to stop because
I thought it would please you, as you are said to love flowers, and
especially that the feast of which is celebrated to-day."

"And what flower is that?"

"The tulip."

"The tulip!" cried Van Baerle, "is to-day the feast of tulips?"

"Yes, sir; but as this spectacle displeases you, let us drive on."

The officer was about to give the order to proceed, but Cornelius
stopped him, a painful thought having struck him. He asked, with
faltering voice,--

"Is the prize given to-day, sir?"

"Yes, the prize for the black tulip."

Cornelius's cheek flushed, his whole frame trembled, and the cold sweat
stood on his brow.

"Alas! sir," he said, "all these good people will be as unfortunate
as myself, for they will not see the solemnity which they have come to
witness, or at least they will see it incompletely."

"What is it you mean to say?"

"I mean to say." replied Cornelius, throwing himself back in the
carriage, "that the black tulip will not be found, except by one whom I
know."

"In this case," said the officer, "the person whom you know has found
it, for the thing which the whole of Haarlem is looking at at this
moment is neither more nor less than the black tulip."

"The black tulip!" replied Van Baerle, thrusting half his body out of
the carriage window. "Where is it? where is it?"

"Down there on the throne,--don't you see?"

"I do see it."

"Come along, sir," said the officer. "Now we must drive off."

"Oh, have pity, have mercy, sir!" said Van Baerle, "don't take me away!
Let me look once more! Is what I see down there the black tulip? Quite
black? Is it possible? Oh, sir, have you seen it? It must have specks,
it must be imperfect, it must only be dyed black. Ah! if I were there,
I should see it at on