The President van Systens

           Rosa,onleavingCornelius,hadfixedonherplan,whichwasnootherthantorestoretoCorneliusthestolentulip,ornevertoseehimagain.

           Shehadseenthedespairoftheprisoner,andsheknewthatitwasderivedfromadoublesource,andthatitwasincurable.

           Ontheonehand,separationbecameinevitable,—Gryphushavingatthesametimesurprisedthesecretoftheirloveandoftheirsecretmeetings.

           Ontheotherhand,allthehopesonthefulfilmentofwhichCorneliusvanBaerlehadrestedhisambitionforthelastsevenyearswerenowcrushed.

           Rosawasoneofthosewomenwhoaredejectedbytrifles,butwhoingreatemergenciesaresuppliedbythemisfortuneitselfwiththeenergyforcombatingorwiththeresourcesforremedyingit.

           Shewenttoherroom,andcastalastglanceabouthertoseewhethershehadnotbeenmistaken,andwhetherthetulipwasnotstowedawayinsomecornerwhereithadescapedhernotice.Butshesoughtinvain,thetulipwasstillmissing;thetulipwasindeedstolen.

           Rosamadeupalittleparcelofthingsindispensableforajourney;tookherthreehundredguilders,—thatistosay,allherfortune,—fetchedthethirdbulbfromamongherlace,whereshehadlaiditup,andcarefullyhiditinherbosom;afterwhichshelockedherdoortwicetodisguiseherflightaslongaspossible,and,leavingtheprisonbythesamedoorwhichanhourbeforehadletoutBoxtel,shewenttoastable-keepertohireacarriage.