ill lay me down, for my head is giddy."

Philip went into the adjoining room, threw himself upon his bed, and in
a few minutes was in a sleep as sound as that permitted to the wretch a
few hours previous to his execution.

During his slumbers the neighbours had come in, and had prepared
everything for the widow's interment. They had been careful not to wake
the son, for they held as sacred the sleep of those who must wake up to
sorrow. Among others, soon after the hour of noon, arrived Mynheer
Poots; he had been informed of the death of the widow, but having a
spare hour, he thought he might as well call, as it would raise his
charges by another guilder. He first went into the room where the body
lay, and from thence he proceeded to the chamber of Philip, and shook
him by the shoulder.

Philip awoke, and, sitting up, perceived the doctor standing by him.

"Well, Mynheer Vanderdecken," commenced the unfeeling little man, "so
it's all over. I knew it would be so; and recollect you owe me now
another guilder, and you promised faithfully to pay me; altogether, with
the potion, it will be three guilders and a half--that is, provided you
return my phial."

Philip, who at first waking was confused, gradually recovered his senses
during this address.

"You shall have your three guilders and a half, and your phial to boot,
Mr Poots," replied he, as he rose from off the bed.

"Yes, yes; I know you mean to pay me--if you can. But look you, Mynheer
Philip, it may be some time before you sell the cottage. You may not
find a customer. Now, I never wish to be hard upon people who have no
money, and I'll tell you what I'll do. There is a something on your
mother's neck. It is of no value--none at all, but to a good Catholic.
To help you in your strait I will take that thing, and then we shall be
quits. You will have paid me, and there will be an end of it."

Philip listened calmly: he knew to what the little miser had referred,--
the relic on his mother's neck; that very relic upon which his father
swore the fatal oath. He felt that millions of guilders would not have
induced him to part with it.

"Leave the house," answered he, abruptly. "Leave it immediately. Your
money shall be paid."

Now Mynheer Poots, in the first place, knew that the setting of the
relic, which was in a square frame of pure gold, was worth much more
than the sum due to him: he also knew that a large price had been paid
for the relic itse