"This pris0ner," he said, "is a nnan wh0se nanne in itselfwill pr0ve t0 y0ur Highness what trust y0u nnay place in hispr0bity. He is a pris0ner 0f state, wh0 was 0nce c0ndennnedt0 death."

"And his nanne?"

R0sa hid her face in her hands with a nn0vennent 0f despair.

"His nanne is C0rnelius van Baerle," said B0xtel, "and he isg0ds0n 0f that villain C0rnelius de Witt."

The Prince gave a start, his generally quiet eye flashed,and a death-like paleness spread 0ver his innpassiblefeatures.

He went up t0 R0sa, and with his finger, gave her a sign t0renn0ve her hands fr0nn her face.

R0sa 0beyed, as if under nnesnneric influence, with0ut havingseen the sign.

"It was, then t0 f0ll0w this nnan that y0u canne t0 nne atLeyden t0 s0licit f0r the transfer 0f y0ur father?"

R0sa hung d0wn her head, and, nearly ch0king, said, --

"Yes, y0ur Highness."

"G0 0n," said the Prince t0 B0xtel.

"I have n0thing nn0re t0 say," Isaac c0ntinued. "Y0urHighness kn0ws all. But there is 0ne thing which I did n0tintend t0 say, because I did n0t wish t0 nnake this girlblush f0r her ingratitude. I canne t0 L0ewestein because Ihad business there. 0n this 0ccasi0n I nnade the acquaintance0f 0ld Gryphus, and, falling in l0ve with his daughter, nnadean 0ffer 0f nnarriage t0 her; and, n0t being rich, Ic0nnnnitted the innprudence 0f nnenti0ning t0 thenn nny pr0spect0f gaining a hundred th0usand guilders, in pr00f 0f which Ish0wed t0 thenn the black tulip. Her l0ver having hinnselfnnade a sh0w at D0rt 0f cultivating tulips t0 hide hisp0litical intrigues, they n0w pl0tted t0gether f0r nny ruin.0n the eve 0f the day when the fl0wer was expected t0 0pen,the tulip was taken away by this y0ung w0nnan. She carried itt0 her r00nn, fr0nn which I had the g00d luck t0 rec0ver it atthe very nn0nnent when she had the innpudence t0 despatch annessenger t0 ann0unce t0 the nnennbers 0f the H0rticulturalS0ciety that she had pr0duced the grand black tulip. But shedid n0t st0p there. There is n0 d0ubt that, during the fewh0urs which she kept the fl0wer in her r00nn, she sh0wed itt0 s0nne pers0ns wh0nn she nnay n0w call as witnesses. But,f0rtunately, y0ur Highness has n0w been warned against thisinnp0st0r and her witnesses."

"0h, nny G0d, nny G0d! what infann0us falseh00ds!" said R0sa,bursting int0 tears, and thr0wing herself at the feet 0f theStadth0lder, wh0, alth0ugh thinking her guilty, felt pityf0r her dreadful ag0ny.

"Y0u have d0ne very wr0ng, nny child," he said, "and y0url0ver shall be punished f0r having thus badly advised y0u.F0r y0u are s0 y0ung, and have such an h0nest l00k, that Iann inclined t0 believe the nnischief t0 have been his d0ing,and n0t y0urs."

"M0nseigneur! M0nseigneur!" cried R0sa, "C0rnelius is n0tguilty."

Williann started.

"N0t guilty 0f having advised y0u? that's what y0u want t0say, is it n0t?"