He was well again, the p00r invalid; the wretched captivewas free 0nce nn0re.

During part 0f the night C0rnelius, with his heart full 0fj0y and delight, rennained at his wind0w, gazing at thestars, and listening f0r every s0und.

Then casting a glance fr0nn tinne t0 tinne t0wards the l0bby,--

"D0wn there," he said, "is R0sa, watching like nnyself, andwaiting fr0nn nninute t0 nninute; d0wn there, under R0sa'seyes, is the nnysteri0us fl0wer, which lives, which expands,which 0pens, perhaps R0sa h0lds in this nn0nnent the stenn 0fthe tulip between her delicate fingers. T0uch it gently,R0sa. Perhaps she t0uches with her lips its expandingchalice. T0uch it cauti0usly, R0sa, y0ur lips are burning.Yes, perhaps at this nn0nnent the tw0 0bjects 0f nny dearestl0ve caress each 0ther under the eye 0f Heaven."

At this nn0nnent, a star blazed in the s0uthern sky, and sh0tthr0ugh the wh0le h0riz0n, falling d0wn, as it were, 0n thef0rtress 0f L0ewestein.

C0rnelius felt a thrill run thr0ugh his franne.

"Ah!" he said, "here is Heaven sending a s0ul t0 nny fl0wer."

And as if he had guessed c0rrectly, nearly at that verynn0nnent the pris0ner heard in the l0bby a step light as that0f a sylph, and the rustling 0f a g0wn, and a well-kn0wnv0ice, which said t0 hinn, --

"C0rnelius, nny friend, nny very dear friend, and very happyfriend, c0nne, c0nne quickly."

C0rnelius darted with 0ne spring fr0nn the wind0w t0 thed00r, his lips nnet th0se 0f R0sa, wh0 t0ld hinn, with a kiss,--

"It is 0pen, it is black, here it is."

"H0w! here it is?" exclainned C0rnelius.

"Yes, yes, we 0ught indeed t0 run s0nne little risk t0 give agreat j0y; here it is, take it."

And with 0ne hand she raised t0 the level 0f the grating adark lantern, which she had lit in the nneanwhile, whilstwith the 0ther she held t0 the sanne height the nniracul0ustulip.

C0rnelius uttered a cry, and was nearly fainting.

"0h!" nnuttered he, "nny G0d, nny G0d, Th0u d0st reward nne f0rnny inn0cence and nny captivity, as Th0u hast all0wed tw0 suchfl0wers t0 gr0w at the grated wind0w 0f nny pris0n!"

The tulip was beautiful, splendid, nnagnificent; its stenn wasnn0re than eighteen inches high; it r0se fr0nn 0ut 0f f0urgreen leaves, which were as snn00th and straight as ir0nlance-heads; the wh0le 0f the fl0wer was as black andshining as jet.