Then the earl bethought himself.
"Maybe it is but a toad," he said.

"I will cast it out." And with that he went to do so, but liked it not, and drew back again.
"Toad or worse," I said then, "I mind not their cold skin, and will see what it is." So I took hold of the beast, and it swelled itself out as I did so, and croaked a little.

That was the worst it did; but I will say this, that the sound almost made me drop it.

But I cast it behind me into the shadow, and then put both hands into the chamber and took out one of the bags.
It was full of gold coin, as was that which had been torn open, and as were all the rest--ten of them--when we looked.

And the coins were older than we could tell, being stamped with strange figures that bore some likeness to horses whose limbs fell apart, and a strange face on the other side.