Still further; all these people went away with the conviction that M.de Beaufort only acted in this manner to prepare for a new fortune concealed beneath the Arabs' tents.

They repeated to each other, while pillaging his hotel, that he was sent to Gigelli by the king to reconstruct his lost fortunes; that the treasures of Africa would be equally divided between the admiral and the king of France; that these treasures consisted in mines of diamonds, or other fabulous stones; the gold and silver mines of Mount Atlas did not even obtain the honor of being named.

In addition to the mines to be worked--which could not be begun till after the campaign--there would be the booty made by the army.

M.de Beaufort would lay his hands on all the riches pirates had robbed Christendom of since the battle of Lepanto.

The number of millions from these sources defied calculation.
Why, then, should he, who was going in quest of such treasure, set any store by the poor utensils of his past life?
And reciprocally, why should they spare the property of him who spared it so little himself?
Such was the position of affairs.