his
cottage, and was received with delight by Amine, need hardly be said.
She had been expecting him; for the two ships of the squadron, which
had sailed on his arrival at Batavia, and which had charge of his
despatches, had, of course, carried letters to her from Philip, the
first letters she had ever received from him during his voyages. Six
weeks after the letters Philip himself made his appearance, and Amine
was happy. The directors were, of course, highly satisfied with
Philip's conduct, and he was appointed to the command of a large armed
ship, which was to proceed to India in the spring, and one-third of
which, according to agreement, was purchased by Philip out of the
funds which he had in the hands of the Company. He had now five months
of quiet and repose to pass away, previous to his once more trusting
to the elements; and this time, as it was agreed, he had to make
arrangements on board for the reception of Amine.

Amine narrated to Philip what had occurred between her and the priest
Mathias, and by what means she had rid herself of his unwished-for
surveillance.

"And were you practising your mother's arts, Amine?"

"Nay, not practising them, for I could not recall them, but I was
trying to recover them."

"Why so, Amine? this must not be. It is, as the good father said,
'unholy.' Promise me you will abandon them, now and for ever."

"If that act be unholy, Philip, so is your mission. You would deal
and co-operate with the spirits of another world--I would do no more.
Abandon your terrific mission--abandon your seeking after disembodied
spirits--stay at home with your Amine, and she will cheerfully comply
with your request."

"Mine is an awful summons from the Most High."

"Then the Most High permits your communion with those who are not of
this world?"

"He does; you know even the priests do not gainsay it, although they
shudder at the very thought."

"If then He permits to one, He will to another; nay, aught that I can
do is but with His permission."

"Yes, Amine, so does He permit evil to stalk on the earth, but He
countenances it not."

"He countenances your seeking after your doomed father, your attempts
to meet him; nay, more, He commands it. If you are thus permitted, why
may not I be? I am your wife, a portion of yourself; and when I am
left over a desolate hearth, while you pursue your course of danger,
may not I appeal also to the immaterial world to give me that
intelligence which