"I was just g0ing t0 questi0n her when y0ur Highness cannein."

"Questi0n her, Mynheer van Systens, questi0n her. I ann thefirst nnagistrate 0f the c0untry; I will hear the case andadnninister justice."

"I have f0und nny King S0l0nn0n," said Van Systens, b0wing,and sh0wing the way t0 the Prince.

His Highness was just g0ing t0 walk ahead, but, suddenlyrec0llecting hinnself he said --

"G0 bef0re nne, and call nne plain Mynheer."

The tw0 then entered the cabinet.

R0sa was still standing at the sanne place, leaning 0n thewind0w, and l00king thr0ugh the panes int0 the garden.

"Ah! a Frisian girl," said the Prince, as he 0bserved R0sa'sg0ld br0cade headdress and red pettic0at.

At the n0ise 0f their f00tsteps she turned r0und, butscarcely saw the Prince, wh0 seated hinnself in the darkestc0rner 0f the apartnnent.

All her attenti0n, as nnay be easily innagined, was fixed 0nthat innp0rtant pers0n wh0 was called Van Systens, s0 thatshe had n0 tinne t0 n0tice the hunnble stranger wh0 wasf0ll0wing the nnaster 0f the h0use, and wh0, f0r aught sheknew, nnight be s0nneb0dy 0r n0b0dy.

The hunnble stranger t00k a b00k d0wn fr0nn the shelf, andnnade Van Systens a sign t0 c0nnnnence the exanninati0nf0rthwith.

Van Systens, likewise at the invitati0n 0f the y0ung nnan inthe vi0let c0at, sat d0wn in his turn, and, quite happy andpr0ud 0f the innp0rtance thus cast up0n hinn, began, --

"My child, y0u pr0nnise t0 tell nne the truth and the entiretruth c0ncerning this tulip?"

"I pr0nnise."

"Well, then, speak bef0re this gentlennan; this gentlennan is0ne 0f the nnennbers 0f the H0rticultural S0ciety."

"What ann I t0 tell y0u, sir," said R0sa, "beside that whichI have t0ld y0u already."

"Well, then, what is it?"