Черный тюльпан
Master and Pupil
Inthisprettylittlehand,ofwhichthecoquettishdamselwasparticularlyproud,wasthebulb.
Corneliuskissedmosttenderlythetipsofherfingers.Didhedosobecausethehandkeptoneofthebulbsofthegreatblacktulip,orbecausethishandwasRosa’s?Weshallleavethispointtothedecisionofwiserheadsthanours.
Rosawithdrewwiththeothertwosuckers,pressingthemtoherheart.
Didshepressthemtoherheartbecausetheywerethebulbsofthegreatblacktulip,orbecauseshehadthemfromCornelius?
Thispoint,webelieve,mightbemorereadilydecidedthantheother.
Howeverthatmayhavebeen,fromthatmomentlifebecamesweet,andagainfullofinteresttotheprisoner.
Rosa,aswehaveseen,hadreturnedtohimoneofthesuckers.
Everyeveningshebroughttohim,handfulbyhandful,aquantityofsoilfromthatpartofthegardenwhichhehadfoundtobethebest,andwhich,indeed,wasexcellent.
Alargejug,whichCorneliushadskilfullybroken,didserviceasaflower-pot.Hehalffilledit,andmixedtheearthofthegardenwithasmallportionofdriedrivermud,amixturewhichformedanexcellentsoil.
Then,atthebeginningofApril,heplantedhisfirstsuckerinthatjug.
NotadaypassedonwhichRosadidnotcometohaveherchatwithCornelius.
Thetulips,concerningwhosecultivationRosawastaughtallthemysteriesoftheart,formedtheprincipaltopicoftheconversation;but,interestingasthesubjectwas,peoplecannotalwaystalkabouttulips.
