The carriage rolled on during the whole day; it passed onthe right of Dort, went through Rotterdam, and reachedDelft. At five o'clock in the evening, at least twentyleagues had been travelled.
Cornelius addressed some questions to the officer, who wasat the same time his guard and his companion; but, cautiousas were his inquiries, he had the disappointment ofreceiving no answer.
Cornelius regretted that he had no longer by his side thechatty soldier, who would talk without being questioned.
That obliging person would undoubtedly have given him aspleasant details and exact explanations concerning thisthird strange part of his adventures as he had doneconcerning the first two.
The travellers passed the night in the carriage. On thefollowing morning at dawn Cornelius found himself beyondLeyden, having the North Sea on his left, and the Zuyder Zeeon his right.
Three hours after, he entered Haarlem.
Cornelius was not aware of what had passed at Haarlem, andwe shall leave him in ignorance of it until the course ofevents enlightens him.
But the reader has a right to know all about it even beforeour hero, and therefore we shall not make him wait.
We have seen that Rosa and the tulip, like two orphansisters, had been left by Prince William of Orange at thehouse of the President van Systens.
Rosa did not hear again from the Stadtholder until theevening of that day on which she had seen him face to face.
Toward evening, an officer called at Van Systen's house. Hecame from his Highness, with a request for Rosa to appear atthe Town Hall.
There, in the large Council Room into which she was ushered,she found the Prince writing.
He was alone, with a large Frisian greyhound at his feet,which looked at him with a steady glance, as if the faithfulanimal were wishing to do what no man could do, -- read thethoughts of his master in his face.
William continued his writing for a moment; then, raisinghis eyes, and seeing Rosa standing near the door, he said,without laying down his pen, --"Come here, my child."Rosa advanced a few steps towards the table.
Sit down," he said.
Rosa obeyed, for the Prince was fixing his eyes upon her,but he had scarcely turned them again to his paper when shebashfully retired to the door.
The Prince finished his letter.
During this time, the greyhound went up to Rosa, surveyedher and began to caress her.
Ah, ah!" said William to his dog, "it's easy to see thatshe is a countrywoman of yours, and that you recognise her."Then, turning towards Rosa, and fixing on her hisscrutinising, and at the same time impenetrable glance, hesaid, --"Now, my child."The Prince was scarcely twenty-three, and Rosa eighteen ortwenty. He might therefore perhaps better have said, Mysister.
My child," he said, with that strangely commanding accentwhich chilled all those who approached him, "we are alone;let us speak together."Rosa began to tremble, and yet there was nothing butkindness in the expression of the Prince's face.
Monseigneur," she stammered.
You have a father at Loewestein?""Yes, your Highness.""You do not love him?""I do not; at least, not as a daughter ought to do,Monseigneur.""It is not right not to love one's father, but it is rightnot to tell a falsehood."Rosa cast her eyes to the ground.
What is the reason of your not loving your father?""He is wicked.""In what way does he show his wickedness?""He ill-treats the prisoners.""All of them?""All.""But don't you bear him a grudge for ill-treating some onein particular?""My father ill-treats in particular Mynheer van Baerle, who---- ""Who is your lover?"Rosa started back a step.
Whom I love, Monseigneur," she answered proudly.
Since when?" asked the Prince.
Since the day when I first saw him.""And when was that?""The day after that on which the Grand Pensionary John andhis brother Cornelius met with such an awful death."The Prince compressed his lips, and knit his brow and hiseyelids dropped so as to hide his eyes for an instant. Aftera momentary silence, he resumed the conversation.
But to what can it lead to love a man who is doomed to liveand die in prison?""It will lead, if he lives and dies in prison, to my aidinghim in life and in death.""And would you accept the lot of being the wife of aprisoner?""As the wife of Mynheer van Baerle, I should, under anycircumstances, be the proudest and happiest woman in theworld; but ---- ""But what?""I dare not say, Monseigneur.""There is something like hope in your tone; what do youhope?"She raised her moist and beautiful eyes, and looked atWilliam with a glance full of meaning, which was calculatedto stir up in the recesses of his heart the clemency whichwas slumbering there.
Ah, I understand you," he said.
Rosa, with a smile, clasped her hands.
You hope in me?" said the Prince.
Yes, Monseigneur.""Umph!"The Prince sealed the letter which he had just written, andsummoned one of his officers, to whom he said, --"Captain van Deken, carry this despatch to Loewestein; youwill read the orders which I give to the Governor, andexecute them as far as they regard you."The officer bowed, and a few minutes afterwards the gallopof a horse was heard resounding in the vaulted archway.
My child," continued the Prince, "the feast of the tulipwill be on Sunday next, that is to say, the day afterto-morrow. Make yourself smart with these five hundredguilders, as I wish that day to be a great day for you.""How does your Highness wish me to be dressed?" falteredRosa.
Take the costume of a Frisian bride." said William; "itwill suit you very well indeed.