towards the chair of state, on which the Stadtholder had seated himself.
William rose, casting a tranquil glance over the enthusiastic crowd, and his keen eye rested by turns on the three extremities of a triangle, formed opposite to him by three persons of very different interests and feelings.
At one of the angles, Boxtel, trembling with impatience, and quite absorbed in watching the Prince, the guilders, the black tulip, and the crowd.
At the other, Cornelius, panting for breath, silent, and his attention, his eyes, his life, his heart, his love, quite concentrated on the black tulip.
And, thirdly, standing on a raised step among the maidens of Haarlem, a beautiful Frisian girl, dressed in fine scarlet woollen cloth, embroidered with silver, and covered with a lace veil, which fell in rich folds from her head-dress of gold brocade; in one word, Rosa, who, faint and with swimming eyes, was leaning on the arm of one of the officers of William.
The Prince then slowly unfolded the parchment, and said, with a calm clear voice, which, although low, made itself perfectly heard amidst the respectful silence, which all at once arrested the breath of fifty thousand spectators,—
“You know what has brought us here.
“A prize of one hundred thousand guilders has been promised to whosoever should grow the black tulip.
“The black tulip has been grown; here it is before your eyes, coming up to all the conditions required by the programme of the Horticultural Society of Haarlem.
“The history of its production, and the name of its grower, will be inscribed in the book of honour of the city.
“Let the person approach to whom the black tulip belongs.”
In pronouncing these words, the Prince, to judge of the effect they produced, surveyed, with his eagle eye, the three extremities of the triangle.
He saw Boxtel rushing forward. He saw Cornelius make an involuntary movement; and, lastly, he saw
