tricks were much more dangerous than speaking of the tulip was; but she became aware of the fact as she returned with a beating heart, with glowing cheeks, dry lips, and moist eyes.
And on the following evening, after the first exchange of salutations, she retired a step, looking at him with a glance, the expression of which would have rejoiced his heart could he but have seen it.
"Well," she said, "she is up."
"She is up! Who? What?" asked Cornelius, who did not venture on a belief that Rosa would, of her own accord, have abridged the term of his probation.
"She? Well, my daughter, the tulip," said Rosa.
"What!" cried Cornelius, "you give me permission, then?""I do," said Rosa, with the tone of an affectionate mother who grants a pleasure to her child.
"Ah, Rosa!" said Cornelius, putting his lips to the grating with the hope of touching a cheek, a hand, a forehead, --anything, in short.
He touched something much better, -- two warm and half open lips.
Rosa uttered a slight scream.
Cornelius understood that he must make haste to continue the conversation.He guessed that this unexpected kiss had frightened Rosa.
"Is it growing up straight?"
"Straight as a rocket," said Rosa.
"How high?"
"At least two inches."
"Oh, Rosa, take good care of it, and we shall soon see it grow quickly.""Can I take more care of it?" said she."Indeed, I think of nothing else but the tulip.""Of nothing else, Rosa? Why, now I shall grow jealous in my turn.""Oh, you know that to think of the tulip is to think of you;I never lose sight of it.I see it from my bed, on awaking it is the first object that meets my eyes, and on falling asleep the last on which they rest.During the day I sit and work by its side, for I have never left my chamber since Iput it there."
"You are right Rosa, it is your dowry, you know.""Yes, and with it I may marry a young man of twenty-six or twenty-eight years, whom I shall be in love with.""Don't talk in that way, you naughty girl."That evening Cornelius was one of the happiest of men.Rosa allowed him to press her hand in his, and to keep it as long as he would, besides which he might talk of his tulip as much as he liked.
From that hour every day marked some progress in the growth of the tulip and in the affection of the two young people.
At one time it was that the leaves had expanded, and at another that the flower itself had formed.
Great was the joy of Cornelius at this news, and his questions succeeded one another with a rapidity which gave proof of their importance.
"Formed!" exclaimed Cornelius, "is it really formed?""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.
