MACMILLAN READERS

BEGINNER LEVEL

ALEXANDRE DUMAS

Th e Black Tulip

Retold by Florence Bell

A Note About the Author

Alexandre Dumas was French. H e  was  bor n  o n  24t h  July

1802  in Villers-Cotterets,  in norther n  France .  His  father was  an  important  soldier -  a general  in  Napoleon' s  army. Dumas '    mothe r           was      th e daughter of an innkeeper.

I n  1823 ,  Duma s  wen t  t o Paris.  He  wanted to become  a  lawyer.  But he  worked in  th e  house  of  a  rich  man.  Dumas  started  to  write historical  plays  and  novels .  The y  were  exciting  and they were successful. Dumas became a famous man. He was  on e  of th e  most  popula r  Frenc h  writers  of th e nineteent h  century.

Dumas  liked  good  food,  fine  wines  an d  beautiful women. He spent a lot of money. He travelled to many countries .  H e  gave  mone y  t o  his  friends.  Later,  h e owed  money  to  many people .  The n  he  ha d  to  write more books. He had to get more money.

Alexandr e  Dumas '  mos t  famous  stories  are:  The Three  Musketeers  (1844) ,  Twenty  Years  After  (1845) , The  Count  of Monte  Crista  (1844-1845) ,  The  Viscount of Bragelonne (1844-1850 ) and The Black Tulip (1850).

Dumas  died  on  5t h  December  1870  at  Puys,  near

Dieppe, in norther n France. He was 68 years old.

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A  Note  About  This  Story

Time: 1671 to 1673.  Place: Th e Netherlands .

In th e middle of th e nineteent h century, Alexandre Dumas heard two interesting stories about th e Nether • lands. They were stories about the Netherland s  in the seventeent h  century .  The n  Dumas  himself wrot e  a novel about th e Netherland s in th e  1670s. He put the two interesting stories into his new novel.

On e  of these  stories was  about  two  brothers, Joh n an d  Corneliu s  D e  Witt .  Th e  brother s  lived  i n  Th e Hague  in th e  seventeent h century. They were officials in th e government of the Dutc h Republic.

A t  tha t  time ,  th e  Netherland s  belonge d  t o  two countries. Th e area in the south had belonged to Spain for many years. This was th e Spanish Netherlands . But France  wanted  this  land,  and  in  1668,  France  took a large part of th e land. Today, most of this area is called Belgium. Th e area in the nort h was the Dutc h Repub• lic.  Seven  states  were  joined  in  this  republic.  Thes e states  were  Holland ,  Zeeland,  Utrecht ,  Gelderland , Friesland ,   Groninge n  an d  Overijssl .   Th e  Dutc h Republic was often called th e Seven States. Today, this area is  sometimes called  Holland and  it  is  sometimes called th e Netherlands . Th e Hague was the capital city of th e Seven States.

In the  1670s, there was trouble in the Seven States. Many people wanted a new ruler.  Earlier,  the  ruler of the  Seven States had been  the  Stadtholder.  But  there

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ha d  no t  bee n  a  Stadtholde r  for  some  years.  In  th e

1670s,  some  people wante d  a  new  Stadtholder.  The y wanted  William,  Prince  of Orange .  But  other  people did  no t  wan t  a  Stadtholde r  -  the y  wante d  a  king . The y wante d King Louis XIV of France.

Joh n  an d  Corneliu s  De  Wit t  did  no t  wan t  a  new Stadtholder. They were  against th e  Prince  of Orange. But  mos t  of th e  peopl e  wante d  a  ne w  government . The y  pu t  th e  D e  Witt s  i n  prison .  O n  27t h  Augus t

1672,  a crowd of angry people murdered th e brothers. An d  i n  1672 ,  William ,  Princ e  o f Orange ,  becam e Stadtholder of th e Dutc h Republic.

From  1672  to  1678,  th e  Republic was  at war with Franc e  an d  England .  Th e  Frenc h  army  fough t  th e Dutch army. Ther e were battles on land and in ships at sea.  In  1677,  William of Orang e  married  an  English princess.  In  1689,  William became King  of England, Scotland and Ireland and he moved to Britain.

I n  th e  seventeent h  century,  man y  peopl e  i n  th e Netherland s grew tulips. Th e first tulips were brought to the Netherlands from Turkey in  1571. Soon, every• body in th e Netherland s  loved th e flowers. Everybody wanted tulips.  Stories,  songs  and poems were written about tulips.

Th e  land  in  th e Netherland s  is  good.  Tulips  grow well there. From th e seventeent h century, thousands of Dutc h  peopl e  grew  tulips .  The y  grew  tulips  i n  th e ground,  in  th e  spring.  In  th e  summer,  they  took th e tulip  bulbs  out  of th e  ground.  The y  put  th e  bulbs  in

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drying-rooms. Then ,  the people planted their bulbs  in th e  ground  in  th e  winter.  Th e  flowers  grew  again  in the spring.

Tulip flowers are many different colours. In th e sev• enteent h  century,  man y  peopl e  tried  to  grow  black tulips. Ther e was going to be a big prize for th e grower of th e first black tulip.

In th e  1840s, Dumas read about th e De Witts . An d he heard stories about tulips in th e Netherlands . The n he  wrote  a  romanti c  adventur e  story.  He  called  th e story, The Black Tulip.

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1

Two Tulip-growers

It was Novembe r  1671.  Me n  in  all  th e  towns  in th e Seven States  were  reading  this  notice .  Two  of these men lived in th e town of Dort. Thei r names were Isaac Boxtel and Cornelius Van Baerle.

Corneliu s  Va n  Baerle  was  a  young  man .  He  was twenty-five years old.  He very clever and he was very rich. He loved flowers. An d he loved tulips more tha n all the other flowers. He grew beautiful tulips.

Cornelius Van Baerle  was rich but he  worked very

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hard.  He  built  a special room with very big windows. This was his drying-room. Cornelius grew tulips in his garden.  In  the  summer,  he  kept  the  tulip bulbs  in his drying-room.  In  this  special  room,  ther e  were  many drawers and cupboards.

'Ca n I grow a black tulip?' Cornelius asked himself.

'Yes! I have grown dark-blue tulips. I have grown dark- red tulips. Now I will grow a black tulip! It will be very difficult. But I will win th e prize.'

'Yes,  I will win  100000 guilders,' Cornelius said to himself.  'But  I  don't want  all  th e  prize  money.  I  will give 5000 0 guilders to th e poor people of Dort. The n I will travel. I will look for more tulips.'

Cornelius Van Baerle and Isaac Boxtel were neigh• bours.  But  they were no t friends.  Isaac was jealous of Cornelius.

'I hat e Cornelius Van Baerle,'  Isaac said to himself.

'Wh y does he grow tulips? He is a scientist. He is very rich. He doesn't want more money!'

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Isaac Boxtel was an old man. He had a thi n face and white  hair.  He  was  th e  best  tulip-grower  in  Dort.  He had been a tulip-grower for many years. He had grown many beautiful tulips.

'I have never seen a black tulip,' Isaac said to him• self. 'But I will try to win this prize. I will try to grow a black tulip.  I  am  a poor man.  I  want  to  win  100000 guilders!'

'Corneliu s  Va n  Baerle  has  grown  man y  beautiful tulips,' Isaac thought .  'But he has never grown a black tulip! I will grow a black tulip and I will win th e prize. The n I will be rich too.'

Every day,  Isaac  Boxtel  saw Cornelius working  in his garden. On e day,  Isaac bought a telescope. After that, he could watch Cornelius in his drying-room too.
In  tha t winter  of  1671,  Cornelius  Van  Baerle  was working very hard. He was trying to grow a black tulip!

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2

Th e Package

On e day,  Cornelius Van Baerle had a visitor - a man. Th e man's name was Cornelius De Witt . Cornelius De Wit t was  a very important man.  He was  an official of th e government of the Seven States.

Cornelius' brother, Joh n De Witt, was an important man too.  He was  the  leader of the  government of the Seven States.

Th e  De  Wit t  brother s  lived  in  Th e  Hague  -  th e capital city of the Seven States. But Cornelius De Wit t owned  a house  in  Dort  too.  An d  Cornelius  De  Wit t was Cornelius Van Baerle's guardian. Th e young man's father was dead.

Th e  two  me n  me t  on e  evenin g  i n  January  1672. The y  me t  at  Corneliu s  Van  Baerle's  house  in  Dort . Corneliu s  D e  Wit t  talked  abou t  politics .  H e  talked about his brother, Joh n - the leader of the government of th e Seven States.

'I  am  sorry,  sir,'  young  Corneliu s  said.  'I  am  no t interested in politics. I am interested in tulips. Please, come to my drying-room. I will show you my bulbs.'

Isaa c  Boxte l  was  watchin g  Va n  Baerle's  hous e through his telescope. He saw some lights in Cornelius' drying-room - the  lights from candles. The n Isaac saw the two men in the drying-room. He saw them, but he could no t hear the m speaking.

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3

The Hague Prison

Young  Corneliu s  was  happ y  i n  Dort .  H e  was  very happ y  abou t  his  tulips .  But  i n  Th e  Hague ,  terribl e things were happening.

Suddenly, th e people of th e Seven States wanted to change their government. They did no t want Joh n De Witt .  The y  wante d  a  ne w  leader.  Soon ,  th e  peopl e hate d  Joh n  D e  Wit t  an d  the y  hate d  Cornelius ,  his brother, too.

'Th e  De  Wit t  brother s  are  friends  of  th e  Frenc h king!'  th e people  shouted.  'France  is  our enemy!  We hat e  th e  De  Witts .  We  wan t  a  new  leader.  We  want Prince William.  He  is young.  He  is  strong.  He  must becom e  our  leader.  The n  th e  Seve n  State s  will  b e strong too!'

I n  Th e  Hague ,  people  told  many  strange  stories. Nobody knew th e truth .

'Cornelius  De  Wit t  wants  to  kill  Prince  William!'

th e people said.  'Take Cornelius to th e Hague Prison! Punish him !  Torture him !  Find  out  about his  plans. The n send hi m away from the Seven States!'

So  Cornelius  De  Wit t  was  take n  to  th e  prison  in Th e  Hague .  There ,  soldiers  torture d  him .  Corneliu s was a good man and he was a brave man. Th e soldiers injured hi m  badly.  Th e  pain was  terrible.  But he  did no t tell th e soldiers about his plans.

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At last,  th e soldiers took Cornelius to a courtroom. A judge spoke to him.

Th e nex t day, Joh n De Wit t and his servant Craeke wen t  to  th e  Hague  Prison.  The y  were  going  to  take Cornelius  from  th e  prison.  The n  th e  three  me n were going to leave th e country.

Th e jailer of th e prison was called Gryphus. He was a  bad-tempere d  old  man .  Gryphu s  ha d  a  beautifu l daughter. She was seventeen years old, and she helped her father at th e prison.

'Good morning, Gryphus,' Joh n De Wit t said to th e old jailer.  'Look,  here  is  a paper from the judges.  My brother is no t a prisoner now.  I  am going to take him away from th e prison today.'

Gryphus and his daughter took Joh n De Wit t to his

brother's  cell.  Gryphus  unlocke d  th e  door.  The n  h e walked away.

Joh n De Wit t looked at Gryphus' beautiful daughter and he smiled at her.

'Wha t is your name, my dear?' Joh n De Wit t asked th e girl.

'My name is Rosa, sir,' th e girl replied.

'How is my dear brother today, Rosa?' Joh n asked

'His  pai n  is  terrible,'  Rosa  said  sadly.  Ther e  were tears in her blue eyes.

'These are terrible times, sir,' Rosa said. 'Th e people of the city want to kill your brother. The y want to kill you too.'

'But  we  love  our  country,'  Joh n  De  Wit t  replied.

'We have tried to help th e people of th e Seven States.'

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'I know that , sir,' Rosa replied.  'Now, you and your brother must leave th e prison quickly. Ther e are many people outside the big gate. They are waiting for you. You  and  your brothe r  must  leave  by  th e  small  gate. Please tell your brother about my plan.'

Joh n De Wit t wen t into his brother's cell. Cornelius was lying on a bed in th e small room.

'My  dear  Cornelius, '  Joh n  said.  'We  are  going  to leave  the country today. We are  in great danger here . Ca n you walk?'

A t  tha t  moment ,  th e  brothers heard  angry  shouts. Many people were near th e big gate of th e prison.

'Give us th e De Wit t brothers!' the people shouted.

'Bring th e traitors out to us.'

'Wh y do they call us  traitors?' Joh n De Wit t asked sadly. 'We wanted peace for our country. I wrote letters to th e French king. I asked for peace. An d King Louis wrote to me. You ha d those letters, Cornelius. Did you burn them?'

'No ,  I  did no t bur n  th e  letters,'  Cornelius  replied.

'On e  day,  those letters will hel p you,  brother.  I  took thos e  letters  to  Dort .  I  gave  the m  to  Corneliu s  Van Baerle.'

'But why  did  you  tell Cornelius  about  th e  letters?' Joh n De Wit t asked. 'H e is no t interested in politics.'

' I  didn' t  tel l  hi m  abou t  th e  letters, '  hi s  brothe r replied. 'I put those letters in a package. Cornelius Van Baerle did no t open th e package. He will no t open it. He is interested in tulips, no t in letters!'

'The n we ca n save hi m and we can save ourselves,' Joh n  De Wit t  said.  'Young Cornelius  must bur n  tha t package.  Tell hi m  that .  Writ e  to  hi m  immediately.  I will send Craeke  to Dort.  He  must take your message to young Cornelius today.'

'Yes,  I  will write to him,'  Cornelius De Wit t said.

'But I canno t write now. Ther e is no paper here. '

The n Cornelius saw a book nex t to his bed. He tore a page of white paper from th e front of th e book.

'I will write on this,' he said.

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Quickly, Cornelius wrote a short letter.

Joh n De Witt's servant, Craeke, was waiting outside the cell. Joh n called him.

'Craeke ,  please  take  this  letter  to  Dort,'  Joh n  De Wit t said.  'Give it to young Cornelius Van Baerle. He must read th e letter immediately. Go quickly!'

Craeke quickly left th e cell. The n Joh n spoke to his brother.

'We must go, brother,' he said.

At tha t moment, Rosa ran into the cell.

'You must go quickly, sirs,' she said. 'Your coach and horses are waiting near the small gate.'

'Than k  you,  my  dear,'  Corneliu s  said.  'You  hav e been very kind  to  me.  I have no  money for you.  Th e soldiers  took  my  money.  Please  take  this  book.  It  is yours now.'

'Than k you,  sir,' Rosa replied. 'I canno t read.  But I

will always keep your book. Now, follow me.' Rosa and the two me n left the cell.

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4

Murder in th e Street

Rosa  an d  th e  D e  Wit t  brother s  wen t  ou t  int o  th e prison yard. Rosa unlocked a small gate with a key. A coach and horses were in the street outside the gate.

Th e horses pulled the  coach away from  the prison. Rosa watched it going quickly along  th e  street. The n she  ran back  into  th e  prison yard  and she  locked  the small gate.

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Inside th e prison, Rosa met her father.

'Th e  people  are  outside th e  big gate.  Shall  I  open it?' th e old jailer asked his daughter.

'No ,  father,'  Rosa  replied.  'Th e  peopl e  will  soon break down the big gate. We are in great danger.'

'Wha t will happe n to Cornelius De Witt?' Gryphus asked his daughter.

'Go d will help hi m and his brother,' Rosa replied. Th e  angry peopl e  soon  broke  dow n  th e  big  gate.

They ran into th e prison.

The y shouted,  'Deat h to th e traitors!  Kill Joh n and

Cornelius De Witt! '

A young ma n was standing in a street near th e prison. He ha d a pale face and he was wearing a large hat . Th e ha t  nearly  covered  his  eyes.  A  soldier was  standin g with him.

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Th e young man smiled but he did no t answer. The De Witts ' coach drove up to th e Harbour Gate .

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Th e  coach  driver  turned  th e  coach.  He  started  to drive  th e  horses  along  th e  narro w  street .  But  some angry people were running towards the gate. They had seen th e coach.

'Stop! Stop!' they shouted.

The n suddenly, there were hundreds of angry people in  th e  narrow  street. Joh n  De  Wit t  looked out of the window of the coach. Th e people saw his face.

'Th e  traitors!'  th e  people  shouted.  Ther e  are  th e traitors!'

Th e  people  ra n  towards  th e  coach .  The y  stopped

the  horses.  Th e  angry people  opened th e  door  of the coac h  an d  they  pulled  out  th e  brothers .  Th e  people shouted  and  screamed.  They hi t  and kicked Joh n  and Cornelius  De  Witt .  Soon,  th e  brothers were  covered with blood.

Th e pale young man and the soldier walked towards

th e coach.

'Th e  people  are  murdering th e  De  Wit t  brothers!' the soldier said. 'Sir, we must stop this.'

'We canno t stop it,' the young man said. 'Look! Th e

brothers  are  dead.  Th e  people hav e  killed  them .  We canno t do anything now.'

Th e  pale  young  ma n  was  William ,  th e  Princ e  of

Orange.

'Wha t will th e King of France say?' Prince William said to th e soldier. 'His dear friends are dead!'

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5

Th e Young Tulip-grower

In  Dort,  young Cornelius Van  Baerle was  standing  in his drying-room. He was looking at three small tulip bulbs.

'Yes,' he said to himself. 'Nex t year, these bulbs will be  black tulips.  I  am  th e  happiest man  in  th e  Seven States!'

At tha t moment, a servant ran into the room.

'Somebody wants to  see  you,  sir,' he  said.  'H e  has come from Th e Hague. His name is Craeke.'

'Craeke?' Cornelius said.  'Craeke is Joh n De Witt's servant.  He  must wait for  a few  minutes .  I  must  put these bulbs safely in a drawer.'

'I  canno t  wait!'  a  voice  shouted.  Craek e  ra n  into the room. He was holding a letter in his hand .

Cornelius was very surprised.  He dropped the  tulip bulbs. They fell ont o th e floor.

'Please, read this letter!' Craeke said. 'Please read it immediately, sir.'

'I  will read th e  letter,'  Cornelius said.  'But I  must pick up my bulbs first.'

He picked up the tulip bulbs and he looked at the m carefully.

'Good,' he said quietly. 'Th e bulbs are no t damaged. I than k God for that. '

But Craeke had put th e letter on a table and he had

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left th e house.

Suddenly,  on e  of Cornelius'  servants  ra n  int o  th e drying room.

'Oh , sir!' th e servant said. 'There are soldiers in the house. They are going to arrest you, sir!'

'They are going to arrest me? I do no t understand,' Cornelius said.

Cornelius  was  no t frightened.  He  was  thinkin g  of his black tulip bulbs. He picked up Craeke's letter from the table. He did no t read it. Th e letter was written on a piece of white paper - a white page from a book. Very carefully, Cornelius put th e paper round th e three tulip bulbs  -  h e  mad e  a  package .  The n  h e  pu t  th e  littl e package into his pocket.

Four soldiers ran  into  the  room.  A judge  was  with them . Th e judge was from th e courtroom in Dort. Th e judge had received a message from Isaac Boxtel.

'Cornelius Van  Baerle,  you have  some papers,'  the judge said.  'They are th e papers of a traitor.  Give  the papers to me!'

'I don' t understand,' Cornelius said.

'Last January,  Cornelius  De  Wit t  left  a  package  of papers  in  this  house,'  th e  judge  said.  'You  must give tha t package to me.'

'No ,  I  canno t give th e  package  to  you,'  th e  young man replied. 'It is no t mine.'

'I  must  take  those  papers!'  th e  judge  shouted.  He pointed to a large drawer. 'They are in tha t drawer,' he said.

Th e  judg e  opene d  th e  drawe r  an d  too k  ou t  th e package. He opened th e package and he looked at the letters inside it.

'Yes!  You are a traitor too,' th e judge said. 'I arrest you, Cornelius Van Baerle. You are a prisoner now. You must come with me to Th e Hague.'

Isaac  Boxtel  was  watchin g  Cornelius  Van  Baerle's house. He was watching through his telescope. He saw the  soldiers going  into his  neighbour's house.  An d he saw the judge.

'Good ! Th e judge has got my message,' Isaac said to himself. 'But I did no t put my name in tha t message. I am no t in danger. Th e soldiers will take Cornelius Van Baerle  t o  Th e  Hague .  The y  will  pu t  hi m  i n  priso n there .  The n they will kill him .  Good!  I  will  take his tulip bulbs.'

Tha t night,  Boxtel went  into Cornelius' house.  He

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went into the house through a window. Th e house was empty. Th e servants had run away. Isaac went into the drying-room .  He  looked  for  th e  bulbs  of th e  blac k tulip.

'Th e bulbs are here, in this room,' Isaac said to himself.

'Cornelius told his friends about them . He said, "I will  hav e  a  black  tulip  nex t  spring."  But  wher e  are those bulbs?'

Isaac looked in all the drawers and he looked in all the cupboards. Ther e were many bulbs  in th e drawers and  cupboards .  An d  all  th e  bulbs  ha d  names .  Isaac Boxtel looked at each name . He knew all these names. Non e of these was a black tulip!

Isaac did no t find the bulbs  of the black tulip.  But he  found  Cornelius  Van  Baerle's  notebook.  Cornelius ha d written about his  tulips  in th e  notebook.  On one page, Isaac read these words.

'Those  bulbs!  Wher e  are  they?'  Isaac  Boxtel  said.

'Oh ,  I understand now. Cornelius has take n them .  He has taken the m to Th e Hague. I must go to Th e Hague too!'

29

6

Cornelius and Rosa

Cornelius Van Baerle was sitting in the Hague Prison. He  was  sittin g  on  a  bed  in  a  cell.  Two  people  were looking  at  hi m  -  th e  jailer,  Gryphus,  an d  Rosa,  th e jailer's beautiful daughter.

'Young man,  you are  in  a your guardian's cell,'  th e jailer said. He laughed loudly.

'Wha t do you mean?' Cornelius asked him .

'Corneliu s  D e  Wit t  was  i n  thi s  cell, '  Gryphu s replied. 'His brother, John, was here too.  But they are no t coming back!'

'Wher e are they now?' Cornelius asked. Gryphus laughed again.

'The y  are  bot h  dead, '  Gryphu s  said.  'The y  were

killed by the people.'

'They were kind gentlemen,' Rosa said.  'They were no t traitors.'

'The y  were  enemies  of Princ e  William, '  Gryphus said  to  his  daughter .  'You  are  an  enem y  of  Princ e William too!' he said to Cornelius.

Rosa looked at the handsome young man. She liked hi m  very  much .  She  started  to  cry.  Cornelius  turned away. He was sad.

Gryphus pushed his  daughter out of the  cell.  The n he left th e cell and he locked the door.

30

Th e  nex t  day,  some  soldiers  too k  Corneliu s  t o  th e courtroom in Th e Hague. He stood in front of a judge.

'You are a traitor,' th e judge said. 'You will die!' Cornelius was taken back to his cell in the prison. Soon, Rosa came to th e cell.

31

Cornelius put th e bulbs back in the paper. The n he gave the package to the young girl.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside the cell.

'Th e soldiers are coming,' Cornelius said. 'They are going to take me away and they are going to kill me.'

32

'Take care of th e bulbs,' said Cornelius. 'Plant the m in the ground in November. Goodbye, dear Rosa.'

Th e door opened. Soldiers came into th e cell. They held Cornelius' arms. The y took hi m out of th e prison. They took hi m to a wide square near th e city hall. Th e city  executione r  was  waitin g  in  th e  middl e  of th e square. He was holding a huge, sharp sword.

Hundreds of people were standing in th e square. All these  people  wante d  to  watc h  Cornelius '  execution . Th e  executioner was going to cut off the young man's head. Isaac Boxtel was watching too.

Th e young man knelt on the ground,  in front of the executioner. Th e executioner lifted his heavy sword.

The n a man ran out of the city hall. He was holding a letter and he was shouting.

'Stop!' the man shouted. 'Cornelius Van Baerle will no t die  today.  Prince William is good to his enemies. But Cornelius Van Baerle is a dangerous man. He will go back to th e prison. An d he will stay in prison all his life!'

'I  than k God,'  Cornelius said to himself.  'I will see

Rosa again today - and I will see my tulip bulbs!'

But Cornelius was wrong. He did no t go back to the Hague  Prison.  Th e  soldiers  took hi m  to  th e prison  at Lovenstein, far away from Th e Hague.

Cornelius  was  unhappy.  He  was  far  away  from his tulip bulbs. He was far away from Rosa.

Isaac  Boxtel  was  unhapp y  too .  An d  he  was  very angry. He wanted Cornelius' black tulip.

34

7

Lovenstein Prison

Time  passed.  It  was  Novembe r  1672.  Corneliu s  Van Baerle  was  in  a  cell  in  Lovenstein  Prison,  near  Dort. Th e  cell  was  a  small room with stone  walls.  It had  a strong wooden door. Ther e was a small window in the door. An d there was a window in the stone wall. From this window, Cornelius could look at the town of Dort. He could look at his own house.

'But I will never live in my house again,' Cornelius said to himself.  'I will never grow a black tulip.  I will never see  my  tulip  bulbs  again.  An d  I  will never see Rosa again.  Will she plant th e bulbs? Will she grow a black tulip? I will never know.'

But Cornelius was wrong. He did see his tulip bulbs again. An d he did see Rosa.

On e  morning ,  he  hear d  a  girl's  voice  outside  his cell. It was Rosa's voice!

Th e small window in  the  cell door opened and th e young man saw Rosa's face. It was pale and sad.

'Oh , Rosa, Rosa!' Cornelius said.

'Speak quietly! My father is near,' Rosa said.

'Your  father?  Wh y  are  you  bot h  here?'  Corneliu s asked.

'My father is old,' Rosa replied. 'He wanted to work in a smaller prison. We have come to Lovenstein. My father  is  th e  jailer of this  prison  now.  You  are  here ,

35

Cornelius .  You  are  safe.  I  than k  Go d  for  that .  Your tulip bulbs are safe too, Cornelius!'

'Oh , Rosa, do you love me?' Cornelius asked.

'Yes!'  Rosa  replied  wit h  a  smile.  'I  love  you  very much.  I  will  come back this  evening  at  nin e  o'clock. Goodbye, Cornelius, my dear.'

Cornelius was a happy man.

'I  will  never  leave  this  prison,'  he  said  to  himself.

'But Rosa will  grow my black tulip. The n she  will be rich. She will be happy.'

36

Tha t  evening,  Cornelius waited for Rosa.  He heard  a bell  ringing.  He  listened.  Th e  bell  rang  nin e  times. The n  th e  small  window  in  the  cell  door  opened  and Cornelius saw Rosa's face again.

'Here I am,' Rosa said.  'Every night, I will give my father some  strong wine.  He  will  fall  asleep.  The n  I will come here and talk to you.'

'Look, Cornelius!  I have your tulip bulbs here,' she said.  'They are  safe  in the paper package.  Take them . They are yours, they are no t mine.'

'No ,  Rosa,'  Cornelius said.  'I  hav e  a better idea.  I will take one of the bulbs. I will try to grow it. Ther e is a bowl here in my cell.'

'Please  bring  me  some  eart h  tomorrow,'  Cornelius said. 'I will plant the bulb in the bowl. You must plant th e  second bulb  in  th e  ground.  Take  care  of it.  But keep th e third bulb in the paper package.'

'We have  a  garden here,'  Rosa said.  'Th e  earth  in the garden is good. I will bring you some earth for your bowl. Each of us will grow a black tulip. Go d will help us.'

Cornelius  and  Rosa  talked  for  half an  hour.  The n

Rosa said, 'I must go now. Goodnight , my dear.'

She  gave  one  of the  tulip  bulbs  to  Cornelius.  But she kept th e other two bulbs.

O n  th e  nex t  thre e  evenings ,  Ros a  brough t  th e young  ma n  some  eart h  from he r  garden.  He  put  th e earth into his bowl.  On th e  third evening, he planted his bulb in the earth.

37

Rosa planted one of her bulbs  too.  But she did no t plant it in her garden. She planted it in a pot.

An d Rosa kept th e pot in her own room.

Time  passed.  Every  evening,  Rosa's  father fell  asleep after supper. An d every evening,  at nin e o'clock, Rosa went to Cornelius' cell.

'Oh , Rosa, you are very kind to me,' Cornelius said one evening. 'How can I help you?'

Rosa smiled.

'I  canno t  rea d  or  write .  But  I  wan t  to  read  an d write,' she said. 'Will you be my teacher, Cornelius?'

'I have no books, Rosa,' Cornelius said.

'I  have  a book,'  Rosa replied.  'Cornelius De  Witt , your guardian, gave me a book.  Please be my teacher, Cornelius.'

Cornelius smiled at Rosa.

'Yes. I will be your teacher,' he said.

38

8

Jacob Gisels

Slowly, the winter passed. Every evening, Rosa came to Cornelius'  cell.  Rosa  always held  a candle.  Th e  light from  th e  candle  shone  on  her  beautiful  face  and  her golden hair. Every evening, she brought her book with her.  She  held  th e  book  near  th e  window  in  th e  cell door. Cornelius taught th e girl about reading and about writing.  He  pointe d  to  th e  letters  and  words  in  th e book.  He  spoke the  letters and words. Rosa loved the young man. An d Cornelius loved her too.  Sometimes, their hands touched through th e little window.

But one evening, Rosa was half an hour late.

'Don' t be angry with me,' she said to Cornelius. 'My father has  a  visitor.  Thi s  ma n  me t  my  father  at  th e Hague Prison. He comes here every day. He buys wine for my father.'

'Does  this  man  ask questions  about me?'  Cornelius asked Rosa.

Rosa smiled.

'No! '  Rosa  replied .  'H e  is  no t  intereste d  in  you, Cornelius. He is interested in me!'

'Is this ma n young?' Cornelius asked. 'Is he a handsome man?'

'No! ' Rosa said again. 'H e is old and he is very ugly. He has  a thi n face  and white hair.  His name  is Jacob Gisels.'

Ol d  Gryphu s  cam e  int o  Cornelius '  cell  thre e  times every day. He brought food and water for th e prisoner. Th e old jailer was a very bad-tempered man. He always shouted at Cornelius.

Cornelius kept his tulip bowl in a dark corner of his

cell. Every day, he looked at it carefully.

On e morning, he saw a green shoot. Th e tulip was growing! Cornelius held th e bowl in his hands . He was very  happy.  He  did  no t  hear  Gryphus  unlocking  th e cell door.

'Wha t is in th e bowl?' Gryphus shouted.

'It is a tulip,' Cornelius replied.

'Wh y are you growing a tulip?' said Gryphus.

40

Th e jailer put his hands on the bowl and he held it. He pulled it. But Cornelius held the bowl too. Gryphus put his  fingers  into  the  bowl.  He  pulled  out  the  tulip bulb.  He threw th e bulb ont o th e floor and he put his foot on it!

Cornelius shouted loudly.  He  lifted th e bowl  above th e jailer's head. He was going to hi t the old man with the bowl. But at tha t moment, he heard Rosa's voice.

'Stop! Stop!' Rosa shouted. She ran into the cell.

'Father, what hav e you done?' Rosa said.

'I stood on a tulip bulb, tha t is all,' Gryphus said. 'A tulip bulb is nothing .  Come, Rosa,  leave the prisoner alone. He is mad!'

Gryphus went back to his room.

But Jacob Gisels had heard th e  shouts.  He went to th e jailer's room.

'Wha t is wrong, Master Gryphus?' he asked th e old jailer.

'Nothin g is wrong, Master Jacob,' Gryphus replied.

'A mad prisoner was shouting.  His name  is  Cornelius Van Baerle. He was shouting about a tulip bulb. Tha t is all. On e tulip bulb!'

'A  tulip  bulb?  Wher e  is  it?  Let  me  see  it!' Jacob shouted.

'I put my foot on it,' Gryphus said. He laughed.

'You old fool!' Jacob shouted.  'Wher e  are the other bulbs?'

'Th e  others? Soon  there will be  hundreds of tulips in  th e  market,'  Gryphus  replied.  'Buy  some  tulips  in

41

th e market, Jacob.'

At tha t moment , Rosa came into her father's room.

'Tha t bulb was special,' Rosa said quietly.

Jacob Gisels looked at the young girl carefully.

'Wha t do you know about tulips, Rosa?' he asked.

'I know nothin g about tulips,' Rosa replied quickly.

'Bu t  th e  prisone r  love d  tha t  tulip .  M y  fathe r  was unkind.'

At nin e o'clock tha t evening, Rosa went to Cornelius' cell. She told Jacob's words to Cornelius.

Cornelius became pale. He was worried.

'This  man - Jacob  Gisels -  wants  to  steal  my  tulip bulbs, '  he  said.  'Take  care  of th e  thir d  bulb ,  Rosa. Please do no t come to see me tomorrow. You will be in danger here.'

'I  understand,  Cornelius,' Rosa  said.  She  began  to cry.

'I  must take care of th e  tulip bulbs, but I  must no t visit you,' Rosa said. 'You love your tulips. But you do no t love me. Goodbye, Cornelius.'

Rosa went away quickly. Cornelius sat on his bed in th e dark cell. He was very sad.

Tha t  night,  th e  young  ma n  dream t  many  dreams. But  he  did  no t  dream  about  black  tulips.  He  dream t abou t  Rosa's  blue  eyes.  Corneliu s  loved  Rosa  very much.

42

9

The Black Tulip

Rosa was very unhappy. She was alone in her room.

'Corneliu s  love s  hi s  tulip s  mor e  tha n  me, '  sh e thought.

Rosa  looked sadly  at a large  pot  in a corner of her room. Cornelius had said, 'Plant the second bulb in the ground.'  But she  had no t done  that .  Th e  second bulb was no t in the ground.  It was  in the pot  in her room. Rosa had no t told Cornelius about the pot.

'Will this bulb grow?' Rosa asked herself. 'Will it become a black tulip?'

Rosa looked at the pot for many hours.  But she did no t visit Cornelius.

'He doesn't want to see me,' Rosa said to herself.

43

Every evening, Cornelius waited for Rosa.  But she did no t come to his cell.

'Th e  young  prisoner  will  soon  be  dead,'  Gryphus said  t o  Rosa  on e  day.  'H e  won' t  ea t  an d  h e  won' t drink.'

Rosa became pale.

'Cornelius is unhappy about his tulips,' she thought. Th e  nex t  morning ,  she  pushed  a  not e  unde r  th e

door of Cornelius' cell.

An d  Corneliu s  wrot e  a  reply  on  th e  back  of th e paper. He pushed th e paper under th e door for Rosa.

Th e nex t evening, Rosa came to Cornelius' cell.

'Oh ,  my  beautiful  Rosa,'  Corneliu s  said.  'I  hav e been very unhappy. Wha t is your news?'

'Jacob  Gisels  wen t  int o  my  garden this  morning, '

44

Rosa replied. 'He was looking for something there.'

'H e will find th e second tulip!' Cornelius said. Rosa smiled.

'Your second tulip is safe,' she said. 'I did no t plant the bulb in the garden. I planted it in a pot. It is in my room.'

'I than k Go d for that! ' Cornelius said. Rosa smiled sadly.

'First, you love your black tulip,' she said. 'The n you love me.'

'Tha t is no t true, Rosa,' Cornelius replied. 'But you mus t  grow  th e  blac k  tulip .  You  wil l  wi n  10000 0 guilders.  The n  you  will  marry  a  good  man .  You  will leave this terrible place.'

'Do you want me to go?' Rosa asked sadly.

'No, I want to see you every day,' Cornelius replied.

'I love you, Rosa.'

'The n I  will come here every day!'  Rosa said.  'But do no t say th e words "black tulip" for three days!'

Rosa smiled at th e young man.

' I  will  neve r  say  thos e  words  again, '  Corneliu s replied.

Rosa  laughed.  She  put  her  face  nex t  to  th e  little window  in  th e  door.  Cornelius  touched her face  with his lips.

Cornelius was  in prison,  but he  was  a happy man. Rosa  loved  him .  An d  his  black  tulip  was  safe  in  her room.

Th e nex t day, Gryphus told his friend, Jacob Gisels,

45

about th e prisoner.

'Cornelius Van  Baerle  is  a happy  man  today,'  th e jailer said.

'Wh y is he happy? Has he hidde n something in his cell?' Gisels asked.

'Yes! You are right!' Gryphus said. 'Tomorrow, I will look for it.'

Th e  nex t  day,  Gryphus  looked  everywhere  in  th e prisoner's cell.  But he did no t find anything. Cornelius laughed at him.

After two more days, Rosa had some good news.

'Your tulip is growing,' she said.

After that, Rosa brought news of th e tulip every day.

46

On e day, Rosa said, An d now th e bud is...BLACK!'

'Th e bud  is black,  Rosa? Ar e you sure  about  that?' Cornelius asked.

'Your tulip  bud  is  black,  my dear Cornelius,'  Rosa replied. 'Th e flower will be black.'

'It is no t my tulip. It is your tulip, Rosa,' Cornelius said. 'Now, listen to me. You must

take th e tulip to Haarlem.'

'I must take it to Haarlem? No ! I will no t leave you, Cornelius,' said Rosa.

'The n the President of th e Flower Society must come here,' Cornelius said. 'He must come to Lovenstein.

He must see our black tulip!' Th e nex t evening, Rosa

brought the flower to Cor•

nelius' cell. Th e tulip was tall and straight. Th e bud had opened. Th e flower was beautiful. An d it was black!

'I than k God!' Cornelius said. 'God has given us

our black tulip. An d the tulip is safe!'

But Cornelius was wrong. His beautiful tulip was in great danger!

47

10

Th e Truth at Last

Wh o was Jacob Gisels? Jacob Gisels was Isaac Boxtel! Wh y  was  Isaac  Boxtel  in  Lovenstein? He  wanted  the black tulip! He wanted to win 100000 guilders!

Boxtel watched Rosa every day.  He  saw her in her

But the tulip was no t in the garden. Wher e was it? He  could  no t  find  it  anywhere.  Then ,  at  last,  Boxtel understood. Th e black tulip was in Rosa's room! It was growing in a pot!

Boxtel  wante d  to  steal  th e  black  tulip .  But  Rosa

48

always  locke d  th e  doo r  of he r  room .  Th e  key  was always in her pocket.

So  Isaac  Boxtel  made  some  new  keys.  On e  after• noon, he tried to open Rosa's door with them . At last, one  of th e  keys  turned  in  the  lock.  Isaac  opened th e door and he went into Rosa's room.

'Cornelius !  Cornelius! '  Rosa  shouted .  He r  face  was very pale. She was crying.

'Rosa!  Wha t  is wrong?'  Cornelius asked.  'Wh y are you unhappy this evening?'

'Th e  tulip !  Th e  black  tulip  has  gone,'  Rosa  said.

'Somebody has stolen it!'

'Did you lock your door today?' Cornelius asked.

'Yes! I always lock my door,' Rosa replied.

'Jacob Gisels has stolen th e tulip, Rosa,'  said  Cornelius .  'I  must  get out  of this  cell.  Take  the  key from your father. I will kill Gryphus and I wil l  kil l  Gisels !  Ope n  thi s  door , please Rosa.'

'Please, be quiet, dear Cornelius,' Rosa said. 'My father will hear you.

I will take my father's key now.'

'You will never take my key!' a voice shouted.

It was Gryphus! He was near the cell and he was listening to th e two young people.

49

Gryphus hit his daughter and he shouted at her.

'I will tell Prince William about this!  An d you will never see this prisoner again!' Gryphus shouted.

Th e  nex t  morning,  Isaac  Boxtel  and  th e  black  tulip were in Haarlem. Boxtel wrote a letter to the President of th e Flower Society.

Boxtel's plan was clever.  But Rosa was clever too  and she was brave. An d she was in love with Cornelius Van Baerle.

'I must go to Haarlem,' Rosa said to herself. 'I must go  ther e  today.  I  mus t  tal k  to  th e  Presiden t  of th e Flower Society.'

Rosa put  some  clothes  in  a bag.  She  put  th e  third tulip bulb in her bag too. Th e bulb was in th e package

-  th e  pape r  from  Corneliu s  De  Witt' s  book .  A  few hours later, Rosa was travelling to Haarlem.

In  th e  afternoon,  Gryphus  looked  for his  daughter. An d he looked for his friend, Jacob Gisels. Wher e were they? Had they gone away together?

Gryphus was very angry. He went to Cornelius' cell.

50

He  asked  the  prisoner  about Rosa.  He  shouted  at  the young man. He hit the prisoner. But Cornelius did no t fight th e jailer. His tulip had gone. He did not want to live.

Rosa arrived  in Haarlem.  She was  tired,  but she went to  the  house  of th e  President  of th e  Flower  Society. Van Systens, the President, talked to her.

'I  want  to  tell you  about the  black tulip,  sir,'  Rosa said. 'Somebody has stolen the black tulip from me.'

Van  Systens,  looked  at  th e  beautiful  girl.  He  was very surprised.

'W e  will  soon  find  th e  thief,'  he  said.  'I  saw  th e black tulip two hours ago. Master Isaac Boxtel brought it here. Ar e you Master Isaac Boxtel's servant?'

'No, sir, I do no t know Master Boxtel.' Rosa replied.

51

'Th e tulip is mine and it was stolen from me.'

'Are  there  two black tulips  in  Haarlem?'  the  Pres•

ident asked. 'I don't believe it!'

'Is Master Boxtel an old man? Does he have a thi n face?' Rosa asked.

'Yes,' th e President replied. 'Wh y are you asking me these questions?'

'Master Boxtel  is  th e  thief,  sir,'  Rosa replied.  'Th e black tulip is no t Master Boxtel's. It is mine.'

'Be very careful, young woman,'  th e President said.

'Do  no t  call  Master Boxtel  a  thief.  You  have  made  a mistake. Visit Master Boxtel now and talk to him .  He is staying at th e Whit e Swan Inn.'

Rosa left th e President's house.

'Wha t shall I do?' she asked herself. 'Is Jacob Gisels Isaac Boxtel? I  don't know.  But Gisels will never give the black tulip to me.'

Ros a  walke d  slowly  throug h  th e  busy  street s  of Haarlem .  Al l  th e  people  in  th e  streets  were  talkin g about th e black tulip.

'Hav e  you  seen  th e  black  tulip?'  they  asked  eac h other. 'There is a black tulip here, in Haarlem. Some• body has won the prize. Wh o is it?'

'I will go back to the President,' Rosa said to herself.

'I will tell hi m my story. He will believe me!'

Th e  President was busy.  He did no t want to see Rosa again.  But th e beautiful girl ran  into his  sitting-room. She knelt on th e floor by his feet.

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'Please go away. I am busy,' the President said. 'I am writing a report about the black tulip.'

'But  your  repor t  will  no t  be  true ,  sir,'  Rosa  said.

'Please  bring  Master  Boxtel  here .  He  must  bring  th e black tulip with him. Let me see them.'

At tha t moment, they heard shouts in th e street.

'Wait here for a minute!' the President said. He ran from th e room.

A pale young man had come into th e house.

'Prince  William!'  th e  President  said.  'Welcome  to

Haarlem. Welcome to my house!'

Prince William smiled.

'I want to see the black tulip,' he said. 'Is it here?'

'No, sir,' Van Systens said. 'Th e black tulip is at th e Whit e Swan Inn . Th e tulip-grower has  it.  He  is Isaac Boxtel of Dort. But there is a problem, sir.'

A problem?' Prince William asked.

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'Yes,  sir,'  Van  Systens  replied.  'A  young  girl  came here  today.  She  said,  "Isaac  Boxtel  did  no t  grow  th e tulip. He stole it. Th e black tulip is mine." Th e girl is here now, sir.'

'Is the girl telling th e truth?' Prince William asked.

'I don't know, sir,' the President replied.

'You  mus t  sen d  a  servan t  for  Boxtel, '  said  th e Prince.  'Boxtel must bring th e  tulip here.  Let  the  girl see  th e  tulip.  The n  ask  Boxtel  and  the  girl  questions about it. I will watch and listen.'

Van Systens sent a servant to the Whit e Swan Inn. The n  th e  Presiden t  starte d  t o  ask  Rosa  questions . Prince William listened.

'Are you the grower of the tulip?' he asked.

'Yes, sir,' Rosa said. 'I grew it in my room. I am th e daughter of the jailer of Lovenstein Prison.'

'Do you know about tulips?' th e President asked.

'No ,  sir,'  Rosa  replied.  'A  prisoner  in  Lovenstei n gave me the bulb. I grew th e tulip for him.'

The n Rosa told Van Systens her story. She told hi m about  her  first  meeting  with  Cornelius.  She  told  hi m about her love for Cornelius. An d she  told hi m about the young man's love for her. Prince William listened.

'Was  this  prisoner  in  th e  Hagu e  Prison  too?'  th e

Prince asked.

'Yes, sir,' Rosa replied.

'H e  is  a  lucky prisoner!'  Prince William said.  An d he smiled.

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11

Th e Letter

'Master  Boxtel  has  arrived,  sir,'  Van  Systens  said  to Princ e  William .  Th e  Princ e  sat  in  a  corne r  of th e room.

Isaac Boxtel came  into the room.  He put the black tulip on a table.

'Tha t is my tulip!' Rosa said.  'An d this man was at Lovenstein Prison.  He  called himself Jacob Gisels.  He bought wine for my father. An d he took the tulip from my room in the prison.'

Isaa c  Boxte l  looke d  a t  Rosa .  The n  Boxte l  saw

Prince William. Suddenly, Boxtel was very frightened.

'Prince William!' he said. 'I did no t steal this tulip. I am Isaac Boxtel. Everybody in Dort knows me. I have grown tulips in Dort for twenty years. This girl and her friend tried to steal my tulip.'

'He r  friend?'  Princ e  Willia m  asked.  'Wh o  is  he r friend?'

'He is a prisoner in Lovenstein prison,' Boxtel said.

'His name is Cornelius Van Baerle. He was a friend of the traitor, Cornelius De Witt . Th e prisoner is a traitor too. An d he is a thief!'

Rosa started to cry. She turned to Prince William.

'Oh , sir! Tha t is no t true,' th e young girl said. 'This man  is  telling lies.  Cornelius  is  no t a  thief and he  is no t a traitor.'

' I wil l  no t  punis h  you ,  youn g  woman, '   Princ e

William said. 'But I punish thieves and traitors.'

'Sir, let me ask Master Boxtel some questions,' Rosa said.

'I will answer your questions,' Boxtel said.

'Is this your tulip?' Rosa asked.

'Yes, it is,' Boxtel replied.

'Ho w  man y  small  bulbs  were  ther e  o n  th e  large bulb?'

'Two - no - three. Ther e were three,' Boxtel replied.

'An d  wha t  happene d  t o  th e  othe r  bulbs?'  Rosa asked.

'On e  bulb  did  no t  grow,'  Boxtel  replied.  'But  th e second bulb grew into this tulip.'

'An d th e third?' Rosa asked quietly.

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'It is in my house, in Dort,' said Boxtel.

'Tha t is no t true,' Rosa said.  'I have th e  third bulb here. Cornelius Van Baerle gave it to me, last year. It is in this paper package. Look!'

The n Rosa took the third bulb from the paper - the paper from Cornelius De Witt's book. She showed th e bulb  to  Van  Systens  an d  th e  Prince .  Suddenly,  she looked at  th e piece  of paper.  Ther e  was  some  writing on  the  paper.  An d  Rosa could  read  it!  Cornelius had taught her about reading. Rosa read th e writing for th e first time. The n she smiled.

'Read this!  Read this,  sir!' Rosa said.  She gave the paper to Prince William.

Th e Prince read the writing quietly.

Princ e  Willia m  smiled.  H e  pu t  th e  pape r  i n  his pocket.

'Ther e  is a prize for the first black tulip,' he said. 'I will be the judge for the black tulip prize.  Master Van Systens ,  please  tak e  care  of thi s  girl  an d  th e  tulip . Goodbye, Master Boxtel. I will see you again.'

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Boxtel  walked  slowly  out  of th e  room.  He  did  no t understand th e Prince's words.

Rosa went close to th e black tulip and she kissed it. The n she spoke to Prince William.

'Prince  William,'  she  said.  'Corneliu s  Van  Baerle taught me about reading. I than k God for that. Sir, you know  the  truth.  Please help me.  Please hel p  my dear Cornelius!'

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12

The Prize

Cornelius was standing in his prison cell. Gryphus was in th e ceil too. He was shouting at Cornelius.

'Wher e is my daughter?' the old jailer shouted. Gryphus had been drinking wine. And he was holding a heavy stick.

'Wher e is Rosa?' Gryphus asked again. 'I will hit you with this stick. An d the n you will tell me th e truth! '

Gryphus  lifted  his  stick  and  he  hi t  Cornelius.  But Cornelius was stronger tha n th e old jailer. He took th e stick and he hi t th e old man.

'Help !  Help! '  Gryphu s  shoute d  'Th e  prisone r  i s killing me! Help ! Help!'

Some soldiers ran into the cell. They took the stick from Cornelius. The n they left the cell.  Th e old jailer went with them . He locked the door.

'I  hi t  th e  jailer,'  Corneliu s  said  to  himself,  sadly.

'Now I will die and I will never see Rosa again.'

Two hours passed. The n th e cell door opened again. Four soldiers ran into th e cell.

'Cornelius Van Baerle, you must come with us!' one of the m said.

Th e soldiers took Cornelius out of the prison. They pu t  hi m  in  a  coach .  Quickly,  th e  horses  pulled  th e coach towards Haarlem.

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In  Haarlem,  th e  people  were  very  happy.  Somebody had  grown  a black  tulip.  An d  Prince  William was  in Haarlem. Th e Prince was going to give the prize.

Th e  Presiden t  o f  th e  Flower  Societ y  carried  th e black tulip through the city. Everybody shouted. Prince William rode  on  a  black horse.  He  rode  behin d Van Systens. They went towards the wide square in front of th e city hall. Many thousands of people were standing in the square.

Cornelius Van Baerle was in Haarlem too. Th e sol• diers had brought him there  in  the  coach.  Th e  coach had stopped in the wide  square.  Cornelius looked out of th e window of the coach.

'Why  are  all these people here?'  Cornelius asked a man. 'Are they going to watch my execution?'

'No , no! ' th e man shouted. 'Somebody has grown a black tulip. Prince William is going to give th e prize!'

A black tulip? Wher e is it?' Cornelius shouted. Prince  William  was  near  th e  coach,  and  he  heard

Cornelius' words. He stopped his horse.

'Wh o is this man?' Prince William asked one of the soldiers.

'This  is  th e  prisoner from  Lovenstein,'  th e  soldier said. 'You wanted hi m here, in Haarlem, sir.'

'Let this man see the black tulip,' said th e Prince. The n he rode towards the city hall.

A few minutes later, the soldiers took Cornelius out of th e  coach .  The y  walked  slowly  to  th e  city  hall . Prince  William was  sitting on  a  big  chair  in  front  of th e  city  hall .  An d  nex t  to  th e  Prince's  chai r  was  a table.  On the table was the black tulip.  Suddenly,  the people were quiet.

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Prince William spoke to Rosa and Cornelius.
'You  are  bot h  th e  growers  of th e  black  tulip,'  th e Prince said. 'This beautiful flower will be called "Rosa Van Baerle".  Cornelius Van Baerle, here  is your wife. You  are  free.  Rosa,  her e  is  your husband .  You  hav e bot h won th e prize of 100000 guilders!' The n  Princ e  Willia m  too k  somethin g  from  hi s pocket. It was Cornelius De Witt's letter.

'I  have read this  letter and now I  know the  truth,' Princ e  Willia m  said  t o  th e  people .  'Corneliu s  Va n Baerle is no t a traitor. Th e people of Th e Hague killed Joh n and Cornelius De Witt .  But the people did a bad thing!  Th e  De  Wit t brothers were  no t  traitors.  The y were bot h good men. They loved their country.'

A  few  days  later,  Corneliu s  an d  Rosa  got  married . Soon,  they had two beautiful children. An d they grew many more beautiful tulips.

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