“Go, Mr. Boxtel; justice shall be done, I promise you.”
Then, turning to the President, he added,—
“You, my dear Mynheer van Systens, take charge of this young woman and of the tulip. Good-bye.”
All bowed, and the Prince left, among the deafening cheers of the crowd outside.
Boxtel returned to his inn, rather puzzled and uneasy, tormented by misgivings about that paper which William had received from the hand of Rosa, and which his Highness had read, folded up, and so carefully put in his pocket. What was the meaning of all this?
Rosa went up to the tulip, tenderly kissed its leaves and, with a heart full of happiness and confidence in the ways of God, broke out in the words,—
“Thou knowest best for what end Thou madest my good Cornelius teach me to read.”
Chapter 28. The Hymn of the Flowers
Whilst the events we have described in our last chapter were taking place, the unfortunate Van Baerle, forgotten in his cell in the fortress of Loewestein, suffered at the hands of Gryphus all that a prisoner can suffer when his jailer has formed the determination of playing the part of hangman.