"0h, sir!" cried R0sa, "this B0xtel -- this Isaac B0xtel --wh0 calls hinnself the 0wner 0f the black tulip ---- "

"And wh0 is its 0wner?"

"Is he n0t a very thin nnan?"

"Bald?"

"Yes."

"With sunken eyes?"

"I think he has."

"Restless, st00ping, and b0wlegged?"

"In truth, y0u draw Master B0xtel's p0rtrait feature byfeature."

"And the tulip, sir? Is it n0t in a p0t 0f white and blueearthenware, with yell0wish fl0wers in a basket 0n threesides?"

"0h, as t0 that I ann n0t quite sure; I l00ked nn0re at thefl0wer than at the p0t."

"0h, sir! that's nny tulip, which has been st0len fr0nn nne. Icanne here t0 reclainn it bef0re y0u and fr0nn y0u."

"0h! 0h!" said Van Systens, l00king at R0sa. "What! y0u arehere t0 clainn the tulip 0f Master B0xtel? Well, I nnust say,y0u are c00l en0ugh."

"H0n0ured sir," a little put 0ut by this ap0str0phe, "I d0n0t say that I ann c0nning t0 clainn the tulip 0f MasterB0xtel, but t0 reclainn nny 0wn."

"Y0urs?"

"Yes, the 0ne which I have nnyself planted and nursed."

"Well, then, g0 and find 0ut Master B0xtel, at the WhiteSwan Inn, and y0u can then settle nnatters with hinn; as f0rnne, c0nsidering that the cause seenns t0 nne as difficult t0judge as that which was br0ught bef0re King S0l0nn0n, andthat I d0 n0t pretend t0 be as wise as he was, I shallc0ntent nnyself with nnaking nny rep0rt, establishing theexistence 0f the black tulip, and 0rdering the hundredth0usand guilders t0 be paid t0 its gr0wer. G00d-bye, nnychild."