of metal.

Addressing Rodin, who was wiping his forehead with his dirty
handkerchief, and looking round him with surprise, but not fear, Samuel
said to him: "The will of the testator, however strange it may appear,
is sacred with me, and must be accomplished in all things."

"Certainly," said Rodin; "but what are we to do here?"

"You will know presently, sir. You are the representative of the only
remaining heir of the Rennepont family, the Abbe Gabriel de Rennepont?"

"Yes, sir, and here are my papers," replied Rodin.

"To save time," resumed Samuel, "I will, previous to the arrival of the
magistrate, go through the inventory of the securities contained in
this casket, which I withdrew yesterday from the custody of the Bank of
France."

"The securities are there?" cried Rodin, advancing eagerly towards the
casket.

"Yes, sir," replied Samuel, "as by the list. Your secretary will call
them over, and I will produce each in turn. They can then be replaced
in the casket, which I will deliver up to you in presence of the
magistrate."

"All this seems perfectly correct," said Rodin.

Samuel delivered the list to Father Caboccini, and approaching the
casket, touched a spring, which was not seen by Rodin. The heavy lid
flew open, and, while Father Caboccini read the names of the different
securities, Samuel showed them to Rodin, who returned them to the old
Jew, after a careful examination. This verification did not last long,
for this immense fortune was all comprised, as we already know, in eight
government securities, five hundred thousand francs in bank-note,
thirty five thousand francs in gold, and two hundred and fifty francs in
silver--making in all an amount of two hundred and twelve millions, one
hundred and seventy-five thousand francs. When Rodin had counted the
last of the five hundred bank-notes, of a thousand francs each, he
said, as he returned them to Samuel: "It is quite right. Two hundred and
twelve millions, one hundred and seventy-five thousand francs!"

He was no doubt almost choked with joy, for he breathed with difficulty,
his eyes closed, and he was obliged to lean upon Father Caboccini's arm,
as he said to him in an altered voice: "It is singular. I thought myself
proof against all such emotions; but what I feel is extraordinary."

The natural paleness of the Jesuit increased so much, and he seemed
so much agitated with convulsive movements, that Father Caboccini
exclaimed: "My dear fath