e the reward of
her love, her courage, and her honesty. As to you, Sir--thanks to Rosa
again, who has furnished the proofs of your innocence----"

And, saying these words, the Prince handed to Cornelius that fly-leaf of
the Bible on which was written the letter of Cornelius de Witt, and in
which the third bulb had been wrapped,--

"As to you, it has come to light that you were imprisoned for a crime
which you had not committed. This means, that you are not only free,
but that your property will be restored to you; as the property of an
innocent man cannot be confiscated. Cornelius van Baerle, you are the
godson of Cornelius de Witt and the friend of his brother John. Remain
worthy of the name you have received from one of them, and of the
friendship you have enjoyed with the other. The two De Witts, wrongly
judged and wrongly punished in a moment of popular error, were two great
citizens, of whom Holland is now proud."

The Prince, after these last words, which contrary to his custom, he
pronounced with a voice full of emotion, gave his hands to the lovers to
kiss, whilst they were kneeling before him.

Then heaving a sigh, he said,--

"Alas! you are very happy, who, dreaming only of what perhaps is the
true glory of Holland, and forms especially her true happiness, do not
attempt to acquire for her anything beyond new colours of tulips."

And, casting a glance towards that point of the compass where France
lay, as if he saw new clouds gathering there, he entered his carriage
and drove off.

Cornelius started on the same day for Dort with Rosa, who sent her
lover's old housekeeper as a messenger to her father, to apprise him of
all that had taken place.

Those who, thanks to our description, have learned the character of old
Gryphus, will comprehend that it was hard for him to become reconciled
to his son-in-law. He had not yet forgotten the blows which he had
received in that famous encounter. To judge from the weals which he
counted, their number, he said, amounted to forty-one; but at last, in
order, as he declared, not to be less generous than his Highness the
Stadtholder, he consented to make his peace.

Appointed to watch over the tulips, the old man made the rudest keeper
of flowers in the whole of the Seven Provinces.

It was indeed a sight to see him watching the obnoxious moths and
butterflies, killing slugs, and driving away the hungry bees.

As he had heard Boxtel's story, and was furious at