“Why, doctor, I thought that you or I could use a few bars; and that, if we acted in concert, we might be able to take away, at various times, and secrete, in some place or other, enough to make us rich men for all our lives.” “I should like to see this gold before I said anything about it,” replied the doctor, thoughtfully. “As you please; do you find a lamp that will not go out by the sudden draughts of air, or have the means of relighting it, and I will accompany you.” “When?” “This very night, good doctor, when you shall see such a golden harvest you never yet hoped for, or even believed in.” “To-night be it, then,” replied the doctor. “I will have a lamp that will answer our purpose, and some other matters.” “Do, good doctor,” and the count left the philosopher’s cell. • • • • • “The plan takes,” said the count to the countess, “give me the keys, and the worthy man will be in safety before daylight.” “Is he not suspicious?” “Not at all.” • • • • • That night, about an hour before midnight,—the Count Morven stole towards the philosopher’s room. He tapped at the door. “Enter,” said the philosopher. The count entered, and saw the philosopher seated, and by him a lamp of peculiar construction, and incased in gauze wire, and a cloak. “Are you ready?” inquired the count. “Quite,” he replied. “Is that your lamp?” “It is.” “Follow me, then, and hold the lamp tolerably high, as the way is strange, and the steps steep.” “Lead on.” “You have made up your mind, I dare say, as to what share of the undertaking you will accept of with me.” “And what if I will not?” said the philosopher, coolly. “It falls to the ground, and I return the keys to their place.” “I dare say I shall not refuse, if you have not deceived me as to the quantity and purity of the metal they have stored up.” “I am no judge of these metals, doctor. I am no assayest; but I believe you will find what I have to show you will far exceed your expectations on that head.” “’Tis well; proceed.” They had now got to the first vault, in which stood the first door, and, with some difficulty, they opened the vault door. “It has not been opened for some time,” said the philosopher. “I dare say not, they seldom used to go here, from what I can learn, though it is kept a great secret.” “And we can keep it so, likewise.” “True.” They now entered the vault, and came to the second door, which opened into a kind of flight of steps, cut out of the solid rock, and then along a passage cut out of the mountain, of some kind of stone, but not so hard as the rock itself. “You see,” said the count, “what care has been taken to isolate the place, and detach it from the castle, so that it should not be dependent upon the possessor of the castle. This is the last door but one, and now prepare yourself for a surprise, doctor, this will be an extraordinary one.”