Then he passes to the third doors. These are the ones that will open upon Alva’s treasure house. His heart, which has been regular in its beats until now, begins to thump in spasms as he uses the keys carefully—almost lingeringly, as if afraid to see what is within.
Finally the wards yield three times, he presses the doors open, and holding his lantern in front of him would stride on, but suddenly stumbles, there is a clanking sound, and he falls groveling in the midst of bags of gingling coin. Then he holds the lantern up and gasps: “By heavens, what a miser’s sight,” and laughs, but very softly, as if he feared the twenty feet of solid rock and the great Bastion of the Duke that stands above it are as tissue paper and will let forth even his sighs.
Recovering himself he makes rapid inspection of the treasure, sufficient to know that there are four or five millions right to his hand.
Then he goes back and calling Corker to him, the seaman says: “Thing didn’t work?”
“Yes, it’s all right. Bring the men with you.”
Taking these with him he makes account of the treasure; and there are, as well as he can see—he may make a mistake of one or two—one hundred and seventy-nine bags of gold, each sealed with Alva’s arms and labeled twenty thousand crowns and about four hundred thousand Spanish silver dollars in some two hundred and fifty sacks. Besides these there is a strong case that Chester does not open, but guesses it contains jewels, plate and such pleasant things.
Leaving Corker in charge, he orders that each of the men carry out as many sacks as possible to the cellar and to continue this work until he returns. All this time he keeps four men heavily armed on guard at the entrance, and these have orders to defend the house from any sudden attack.
Then going along the dark streets to the counting room of Bodé Volcker, his step exalted and his mind on fire, Chester strides up to the merchant, who says to him—for he has not been very long upon this work—“No success—nothing!—a fool’s story!”
“A fool’s story worth five millions!” [[227]]
“Hel en duivel! Five millions! God bless you, my noble boy. Let us go and get it at once.”