re consigned to the earth with the usual rites;
and Philip and Amine were not a little relieved in their minds at
everything having passed off so quietly.

It was not until after the funeral had taken place that Philip, in
company with Amine, examined the chamber of his father-in-law. The
key of the iron chest was found in his pocket; but Philip had not yet
looked into this darling repository of the old man. The room was full
of bottles and boxes of drugs, all of which were either thrown away,
or, if the utility of them was known to Amine, removed to a spare
room. His table contained many drawers, which were now examined,
and among the heterogeneous contents were many writings in
Arabic--probably prescriptions. Boxes and papers were also found, with
Arabic characters written upon them; and in the box which they first
took up was a powder similar to that which Mynheer Poots had given to
Amine. There were many articles and writings which made it appear that
the old man had dabbled in the occult sciences, as they were practised
at that period, and those they hastened to commit to the flames.

"Had all these been seen by Father Seysen!" observed Amine,
mournfully. "But here are some printed papers, Philip!"

Philip examined them, and found that they were acknowledgments of
shares in the Dutch East India Company.

"No, Amine, these are money, or what is as good--these are eight
shares in the Company's capital, which will yield us a handsome income
every year. I had no idea that the old man made such use of his money.
I had some intention of doing the same with a part of mine before I
went away, instead of allowing it to remain idle."

The iron chest was now to be examined. When Philip first opened it, he
imagined that it contained but little; for it was large and deep, and
appeared to be almost empty; but when he put his hands down to the
bottom, he pulled out thirty or forty small bags, the contents of
which, instead of being silver guilders, were all coins of gold; there
was only one large bag of silver money. But this was not all: several
small boxes and packets were also discovered, which, when opened, were
found to contain diamonds and other precious stones. When everything
was collected, the treasure appeared to be of great value.

"Amine, my love, you have indeed brought me an unexpected dower," said
Philip.

"You may well say _unexpected_" replied Amine. "These diamonds and
jewels my father must have brought