“It is against my orders to open the chests,” he said. “Nevertheless, I will yield to your wishes.” And taking a bunch of keys from his girdle, he unlocked the coffer, and raising the lid, revealed the bars of gold to Lilias’s admiring gaze. “Oh! how beautiful they look!” she cried, clapping her hands. “Cannot you spare one of them?—it would never be missed.” “Were the gold mine, you should have one, and welcome, fair mistress,” replied Lovel, gallantly. “But this is the King’s treasure, and I am bound to guard it.” “But suppose it were carried off by force, what would you say then?” pursued Lilias, playfully. “I cannot entertain any such supposition,” he replied, shutting down the lid, and locking the coffer. “There! now I have removed temptation,” he added, with a smile. “That chest must be enormously heavy,” observed Lilias to her husband. “Do you think you could lift it, Og?” “I don’t know,” he replied; “but if Master Lovel will allow me, I will try.” “Make the attempt, and welcome,” replied Lovel, with a laugh. Seizing hold of the chest with a herculean grasp, Og threw it over his shoulder. “There, now you have got possession of it, away with you,” cried Lilias. “Master Lovel will not prevent you.” “Hold! hold!” exclaimed the keeper of the treasure. “This is carrying the jest rather too far.” “Did you really think I was making off with the chest, Master Lovel?” cried Og, setting it down with a great laugh. “Well, it looked like it, I must own,” returned the other. “But you couldn’t go very far with such a burden as that.” “Couldn’t I?” rejoined Og. “You don’t know what I could do if I tried. Why, I would carry the chest from the Tower to Whitehall, if the King would only bestow it upon me for my pains.” And he burst into another tremendous laugh, in which his brothers heartily joined. “That were a feat worthy of Samson,” observed Lovel, dryly. “Suppose I put your strength to the test.” “Do so,” rejoined Og. “What would you have me perform? You have just told us that the chests are to be removed to the Exchequer to-night. You don’t want me to carry them to Westminster Hall?” “No, no! I don’t want that,” said Lovel, laughing. “They are to be transported by water, and it will save time if they are taken at once to Traitor’s Gate, where they will be embarked.” “Say no more—we’ll do it, won’t we?” cried Og, turning to his brothers, who readily assented. Without more ado, he again took up the ponderous coffer, and called out, “Now, I’m ready.” “So are we,” cried Gog and Magog, as they each shouldered a chest.