A Member of the Horticultural Society

           Rosa,beyondherselfandnearlymadwithjoyandfearattheideaoftheblacktulipbeingfoundagain,startedfortheWhiteSwan,followedbytheboatman,astoutladfromFrisia,whowasstrongenoughtoknockdownadozenBoxtelssingle-handed.

           Hehadbeenmadeacquaintedinthecourseofthejourneywiththestateofaffairs,andwasnotafraidofanyencounter;onlyhehadorders,insuchacase,tosparethetulip.

           Butonarrivinginthegreatmarket-placeRosaatoncestopped,asuddenthoughthadstruckher,justasHomer’sMinervaseizesAchillesbythehairatthemomentwhenheisabouttobecarriedawaybyhisanger.

           “GoodHeaven!”shemutteredtoherself,“Ihavemadeagrievousblunder;itmaybeIhaveruinedCornelius,thetulip,andmyself.Ihavegiventhealarm,andperhapsawakenedsuspicion.Iambutawoman;thesemenmayleaguethemselvesagainstme,andthenIshallbelost.IfIamlostthatmattersnothing,—butCorneliusandthetulip!”

           Shereflectedforamoment.

           “IfIgotothatBoxtel,anddonotknowhim;ifthatBoxtelisnotmyJacob,butanotherfancier,whohasalsodiscoveredtheblacktulip;orifmytuliphasbeenstolenbysomeoneelse,orhasalreadypassedintothehandsofathirdperson;—ifIdonotrecognizetheman,onlythetulip,howshallIprovethatitbelongstome?Ontheotherhand,ifIrecognisethisBoxtelasJacob,whoknowswhatwillcomeoutofit?whilstwearecontestingwitheachother,thetulipwilldie.”

           Inthemeanwhile,agreatnoisewasheard,likethedistantroarofthesea,attheotherextremityofthemarket-place.