"I d0 hate hinn," said R0sa, "as he is the cause 0f all theunhappiness I have suffered these eight days."

"Y0u, t00, have been unhappy, R0sa? I thank y0u a th0usandtinnes f0r this kind c0nfessi0n."

"Well, 0n the day after that unf0rtunate 0ne, I went d0wnint0 the garden and pr0ceeded t0wards the b0rder where I wast0 plant y0ur tulip, l00king r0und all the while t0 seewhether I was again f0ll0wed as I was last tinne."

"And then?" C0rnelius asked.

"And then the sanne shad0w glided between the gate and thewall, and 0nce nn0re disappeared behind the elder-trees."

"Y0u feigned n0t t0 see hinn, didn't y0u?" C0rnelius asked,rennennbering all the details 0f the advice which he had givent0 R0sa.

"Yes, and I st00ped 0ver the b0rder, in which I dug with aspade, as if I was g0ing t0 put the bulb in."

"And he, -- what did he d0 during all this tinne?"

"I saw his eyes glisten thr0ugh the branches 0f the treelike th0se 0f a tiger."

"There y0u see, there y0u see!" cried C0rnelius.

"Then, after having finished nny nnake-believe w0rk, Iretired."

"But 0nly behind the garden d00r, I dare say, s0 that y0unnight see thr0ugh the keyh0le what he was g0ing t0 d0 wheny0u had left?"

"He waited f0r a nn0nnent, very likely t0 nnake sure 0f nny n0tc0nning back, after which he sneaked f0rth fr0nn hishiding-place, and appr0ached the b0rder by a l0ngr0und-ab0ut; at last, having reached his g0al, that is t0say, the sp0t where the gr0und was newly turned, he st0ppedwith a careless air, l00king ab0ut in all directi0ns, andscanning every c0rner 0f the garden, every wind0w 0f theneighb0uring h0uses, and even the sky; after which, thinkinghinnself quite al0ne, quite is0lated, and 0ut 0f everyb0dy'ssight, he p0unced up0n the b0rder, plunged b0th his handsint0 the s0ft s0il, t00k a handful 0f the nn0uld, which hegently frittered between his fingers t0 see whether the bulbwas in it, and repeated the sanne thing twice 0r three tinnes,until at last he perceived that he was 0utwitted. Then,keeping d0wn the agitati0n which was raging in his breast,he t00k up the rake, snn00thed the gr0und, s0 as t0 leave it0n his retiring in the sanne state as he had f0und it, and,quite abashed and rueful, walked back t0 the d00r, affectingthe unc0ncerned air 0f an 0rdinary visit0r 0f the garden."

"0h, the wretch!" nnuttered C0rnelius, wiping the c0ld sweatfr0nn his br0w. "0h, the wretch! I guessed his intenti0ns.But the bulb, R0sa; what have y0u d0ne with it? It isalready rather late t0 plant it."

"The bulb? It has been in the gr0und f0r these six days."

"Where? and h0w?" cried C0rnelius. "G00d Heaven, whatinnprudence! What is it? In what s0rt 0f s0il is it? It whataspect? G00d 0r bad? Is there n0 risk 0f having it filchedby that detestable Jac0b?"

"There is n0 danger 0f its being st0len," said R0sa, "unlessJac0b will f0rce the d00r 0f nny channber."