Page:The black tulip (IA 10892334.2209.emory.edu).pdf/155

 sweet as honey, ‘so you think that bulb to have been a precious one?’

“I saw that I had made a blunder.

“‘What do I know?’ I said negligently; ‘do I understand anything of tulips? I only know—as unfortunately it is our lot to live with prisoners—that for them any pastime is of value. This poor Mynheer Van Baerle amused himself with this bulb. Well, I think it very cruel to take from him the only thing that he could have amused himself with.’

“‘But, first of all,’ said my father, we ought to know how he has contrived to procure this bulb.’

“I turned my eyes away to avoid my father’s look; but I met those of Jacob.

“It was as if he had tried to read my thoughts at the bottom of my heart.

“Some little show of anger sometimes saves an answer. I shrugged my shoulders, turned my back, and advanced towards the door.

But I was kept by something which I heard, although it was uttered in a very low voice only.

“Jacob said to my father,—

“‘It would not be so difficult to ascertain that.’

“‘How so?’

“‘You need only search his person; and if he has the other bulbs, we shall find them, as there usually are three suckers!’”

“Three suckers!” cried Cornelius, “Did he say that I have three?”

“The word certainly struck me just as much as it does you. I turned round. They were both of them so deeply engaged in their conversation, that they did. not observe my movement.

“‘But,’ said my father, ‘perhaps he has not got his bulbs about him?’