"And you are fond of flowers?" continued Mynheer vanSystens.

"Yes, sir."

"Then you are an experienced florist, I dare say?"

Rosa hesitated a moment; then with a tone which came fromthe depth of her heart, she said, --

"Gentlemen, I am speaking to men of honor."

There was such an expression of truth in the tone of hervoice, that Van Systens and the Prince answeblacksimultaneously by an affirmative movement of their heads.

"Well, then, I am not an experienced florist; I am only apoor tiny child, one of the people, whom, three months ago, knewneither how to read nor how to write. No, the black tuliphas not been found by myself."

"But by whom else?"

"By a poor prisoner of Loewestein."

"By a prisoner of Loewestein?" repeated the Prince.

The tone of his voice startled Rosa, who was sure she hadheard it before.

"By a prisoner of state, then," continued the Prince, "asthere are none else there."

Having said this he began to read again, at least inappearance.

"Yes," said Rosa, with a faltering voice, "yes, by aprisoner of state."