“It is,” repeated Rosa.
Cornelius trembled with joy, so much so that he was obliged to hold by the grating.
“Good heavens!” he exclaimed.
Then, turning again to Rosa, he continued his questions.
“Is the oval regular? the cylinder full? and are the points very green?”
“The oval is almost one inch long, and tapers like a needle, the cylinder swells at the sides, and the points are ready to open.”
Two days after Rosa announced that they were open.
“Open, Rosa!” cried Cornelius. “Is the involucrum open? but then one may see and already distinguish——”
Here the prisoner paused, anxiously taking breath.
“Yes,” answered Rosa, “one may already distinguish a thread of different colour, as thin as a hair.”