Черный тюльпан
The Maid and the Flower
Totellthetruth,therewasinallthissomeselfishhopetohearfromGryphusthathisdaughterwasill.
Exceptonextraordinaryoccasions,Rosanevercameduringtheday.Corneliusthereforedidnotreallyexpectheraslongasthedaylasted.Yethissuddenstarts,hislisteningatthedoor,hisrapidglancesateverylittlenoisetowardsthegratedwindow,showedclearlythattheprisonerentertainedsomelatenthopethatRosawould,somehoworother,breakherrule.
AtthesecondvisitofGryphus,Cornelius,contrarytoallhisformerhabits,askedtheoldjailer,withthemostwinningvoice,aboutherhealth;butGryphuscontentedhimselfwithgivingthelaconicalanswer,—
“All’swell.”
Atthethirdvisitoftheday,Corneliuschangedhisformerinquiry:—
“IhopenobodyisillatLoewestein?”
“Nobody,”replied,evenmorelaconically,thejailer,shuttingthedoorbeforethenoseoftheprisoner.
Gryphus,beinglittleusedtothissortofcivilityonthepartofCornelius,begantosuspectthathisprisonerwasabouttotryandbribehim.
Corneliuswasnowaloneoncemore;itwasseveno’clockintheevening,andtheanxietyofyesterdayreturnedwithincreasedintensity.
Butanothertimethehourspassedawaywithoutbringingthesweetvisionwhichlightedup,throughthegratedwindow,thecellofpoorCornelius,andwhich,inretiring,leftlightenoughinhishearttolastuntilitcamebackagain.
VanBaerlepassedthenightinanagonyofdespair.
