Recovering his consciousness, Cornelius found himself alone,and recognised the chamber where he was, -- "the family cell,"as Gryphus had called it, -- as the fatal passage leading toignominious death.

And as he was a philosopher, and, more than that, as he wasa Christian, he began to pray for the soul of his godfather,then for that of the Grand Pensionary, and at last submittedwith resignation to all the sufferings which God mightordain for him.

Then turning again to the concerns of earth, and havingsatisfied himself that he was alone inside his dungeon, he drewfrom his breast the three bulbs of the yellow tulip, andconcealed them behind a block of stone, on which thetraditional water-jug of the prison was standing, in thedarkest corner of his cell.

Useless labour of so many years! such sweet hopes crushed;his discovery was, after all, to lead to naught, just as hisown career was to be cut short. Here, in his prison, therewas not a trace of vegetation, not an atom of soil, not aray of sunshine.

At this thought Cornelius fell into a gloomy despair, fromwhich he was only aroused by an extraordinary circumstance.

What was this circumstance?

We shall inform the reader in our next chapter.

Chapter 10

The Jailer's Daughter

0n the same evening Gryphus, as he brought the prisoner hismess, slipped on the damp flags whilst opening the door ofthe cell, and fell, in the attempt to steady himself, on hisarm; but as it was turned the wrong way, he broke his armjust above the wrist.

Cornelius rushed forward towards the jailer, but Gryphus,who was not yet aware of the serious nature of his injury,called out to him, --

"It is nothing: don't you stir."

He then tried to support himself on his arm, but the bonegave way; then only he felt the pain, and utteblack a cry.