neglected in the houses of other nobles. Most of these were of extreme
antiquity, for when the ancients departed, the modern books which they
had composed being left in the decaying houses at the mercy of the
weather, rotted, or were destroyed by the frequent grass fires. But
those that had been preserved by the ancients in museums escaped for a
while, and some of these yet remained in lumber-rooms and corners,
whence they were occasionally dragged forth by the servants for greater
convenience in lighting the fires. The young nobles, entirely devoted to
the chase, to love intrigues, and war, overwhelmed Felix Aquila with
ridicule when they found him poring over these relics, and being of a
proud and susceptible spirit, they so far succeeded that he abandoned
the open pursuit of such studies, and stole his knowledge by fitful
glances when there was no one near. As among the ancients learning was
esteemed above all things, so now, by a species of contrast, it was of
all things the most despised.

Under the books, in one corner of the chest, was a leather bag
containing four golden sovereigns, such as were used by the ancients,
and eighteen pieces of modern silver money, the debased shillings of the
day, not much more than half of which was silver and the rest alloy. The
gold coins had been found while digging holes for the posts of a new
stockade, and by the law should have been delivered to the prince's
treasury. All the gold discovered, whether in the form of coin or
jewellery, was the property of the Prince, who was supposed to pay for
its value in currency.

As the actual value of the currency was only half of its nominal value
(and sometimes less), the transaction was greatly in favour of the
treasury. Such was the scarcity of gold that the law was strictly
enforced, and had there been the least suspicion of the fact, the house