The Black Tulip

A prize of 100,000 guilders awaits the gardener who can produce a black tulip, a rich reward that incites a bitter competition in 17th-century Holland. Cornelius von Baerle, a gifted and passionate florist, has dedicated himself to cultivating the elusive flower. But a ruthless rival, capitalizing on accusations that led to the assassination of Cornelius's godfather, falsely accuses the young horticulturist of treason. Sentenced to life imprisonment, Cornelius conspires with his jailer's daughter to grow the black tulip in secret.
Alexandre Dumas sets his captivating tale in the 1670s, a generation after Holland was gripped by the economic madness of Tulip mania and shortly after the mob lynching of a pair of Dutch statesmen. His fictional treatment of these historic events forms a timeless political allegory in which the rare flower represents the triumph of justice, tolerance, and true love over greed, jealousy, and obsession.

Best known as the author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas (1802–70) wrote travel books and children's stories as well as popular historical novels. He ranks among France's most widely read authors, and his works have been translated into nearly 100 languages.

I. A Grateful PeopleII. The Two BrothersIII. The Pupil of John de WittIV. The MurderersV. The Amateur Tulip-Grower and his NeighborVI. A Tulip-Fancier's HatredVII. The Happy Man Becomes Acquainted with MisfortuneVIII. An IncursionIX. The Family CellX. The Jailer's DaughterXI. The Will of Cornelius van BaerleXII. The ExecutionXIII. The Thoughts of One of the Spectators During the Last SceneXIV. The Pigeons of DortXV. The Wicket in the Cell DoorXVI. Master and ScholarXVII. The First BulbXVIII. Rosa's LoverXIX. A Woman and a FlowerXX. What had Happened During the Eight DaysXXI. The Second BulbXXII. The Opening of the FlowerXXIII. The Jealous ManXXIV. In which the Black Tulip Changes its MasterXXV. President Van SystensXXVI. A Member of the Horticultural SocietyXXVII. The Third BulbXXVIII. The Song of the FlowersXXIX. In which Van Baerle, before quitting Louvestein, Settles his Accounts with GryphusXXX. In which One Begins to Suspect what Kind of Punishment was Reserved for Cornelius Van Baerle        XXXI. HaarlemXXXII. A Last PrayerConclusion