Черный тюльпан
Rosa’s Lover
”
“Rosa,”saidCornelius,growingquitepale.
“Well?”
“Itwasnotyouhewasafter.”
“Whoelse,then?”
“Itisnotyouthathewasinlovewith!”
“Butwithwhomelse?”
“Hewasaftermybulb,andisinlovewithmytulip!”
“Youdon’tsayso!Andyetitisverypossible,”saidRosa.
“Willyoumakesureofit?”
“Inwhatmanner?”
“Oh,itwouldbeveryeasy!”
“Tellme.”
“Goto-morrowintothegarden;managematterssothatJacobmayknow,ashedidthefirsttime,thatyouaregoingthere,andthathemayfollowyou.Feigntoputthebulbintotheground;leavethegarden,butlookthroughthekeyholeofthedoorandwatchhim.”
“Well,andwhatthen?”
“Whatthen?Weshalldoashedoes.”
“Oh!”saidRosa,withasigh,“youareveryfondofyourbulbs.”
“Totellthetruth,”saidtheprisoner,sighinglikewise,“sinceyourfathercrushedthatunfortunatebulb,Ifeelasifpartofmyownselfhadbeenparalyzed.”
“Nowjusthearme,”saidRosa;“willyoutrysomethingelse?”
“What?”
“Willyouacceptthepropositionofmyfather?”
“Whichproposition?”
“Didnotheoffertoyoutulipbulbsbyhundreds?”
“Indeedhedid.”
“Accepttwoorthree,and,alongwiththem,youmaygrowthethirdsucker.”
“Yes,thatwoulddoverywell,”saidCornelius,knittinghisbrow;“ifyourfatherwerealone,butthereisthatMasterJacob,whowatchesallourways.”
“Well,thatistrue;butonlythink!youaredeprivingyourself,asIcaneasilysee,ofaverygreatpleasure.
