ad been merciful, they could even have been
grateful to the animals that had spared them the sight of conscious
insults.

The wreck was finally cleared, and among the fragments were found several
portions of books. These the Arabs disregarded, being too ignorant even
to read their own Koran, and yet aware of the Mohammedan scruple which
forbids the destruction of any scrap of paper lest it should bear the
name of Allah. Lanty secured the greater part of the Abbe's breviary,
and a good many pages of Estelle's beloved Telemaque; while the steward
gained possession of his writing case, and was permitted to retain it
when the Cabeleyzes, glutted with plunder, had ascertained that it
contained nothing of value to them.

After everything had been dragged up to the adowara, there ensued a sort
of auction or division of the plunder. Poor Maitre Hebert was doomed to
see the boxes and bales he had so diligently watched broken open by these
barbarians,--nay, he had to assist in their own dissection when the
secrets were too much for the Arabs. There was the King of Spain's
portrait rent from its costly setting and stamped upon as an idolatrous
image. The miniature of the Count, worn by the poor lady, had previously
shared the same fate, but that happily was out of sight and knowledge.
Here was the splendid plate, presented by crowned heads, howled over by
savages ignorant of its use. The silver they seemed to value; but there
were three precious gold cups which the salt water had discoloured, so
that they were taken for copper and sold for a very small price to a Jew,
who somehow was attracted to the scene, 'like a raven to the slaughter,'
said Lanty.

This man likewise secured some of the poor lady's store of rich dresses,
but a good many more were appropriated to make sashes for the men, and
the smaller articles, including stockings, were wound turban fashion
round the children's heads.

Lanty could not help observing, 'And if the saints are merciful to us,
and get us out of this, we shall have stories to tell that will last our
lives!' as he watched the solemn old chief smelling to the perfumes,
swallowing the rouge as splendid medicine, and finally fingering a snuff-
box, while half a dozen more crowded round to assist in the opening, and
in another moment sneezing, weeping, tingling, dancing frantically about,
vituperating the Christian's magic.

This gave Lanty an idea. A little round box lay near, which, as he