ontained 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 with him from Egypt. And yet how
penuriously were we living until we came to this cottage! And with all
this treasure he would have poisoned my Philip for more! God forgive
him!"

Having counted the gold, which amounted to nearly fifty thousand
guilders, the whole was replaced, and they left the room.

"I am a rich man," thought Philip, after Amine had left him; "but of
what use are riches to me? I might purchase a ship and be my own
captain, but would not the ship be lost? That certainly does not
follow; but the chances are against the vessel; therefore I will have no
ship. But is it right to sail in the vessels of others with this
feeling?--I know not; this, however, I know, that I have a duty to
perform, and that all our lives are in the hands of a kind Providence,
which calls us away when it thinks fit. I will place most of my money
in the shares of the Company, and if I sail in their vessels, and they
come to misfortune by meeting with my poor father, at least I shall be a
common sufferer with the rest. And now to make my Amine more
comfortable."

Philip immediately made a great alteration in their style of living.
Two female servants were hired: the rooms were more comfortably
furnished; and in everything in which his wife's comfort and convenience
were concerned, he spared no expense. He wrote to Amsterdam and
purchased several shares in the Company's stock. The diamonds and his
own money he still left in the hands of Amine. In making these
arrangements the two months passed rapidly away; and everything was
complete when Philip again received his summons, by letter, to desire
that he would join his vessel. Amine would have wished Philip to go out
as a passenger instead of going as an officer, but