"'Philip Vanderdecken,' said he, as he swam, 'we shall meet again!' "I turned away my head in disgust, when a wave filled my bark, and
down it sank. I was struggling under the water, sinking still deeper
and deeper, but without pain, when I awoke. "Now, Amine," said Philip, after a pause, "what think you of my
dream?" "Does it not point out that I am your friend, Philip, and that the
Pilot Schriften is your enemy?" "I grant it; but he is dead." "Is that so certain?" "He hardly could have escaped without my knowledge." "That is true, but the dream would imply otherwise. Philip, it is
my opinion that the only way in which this dream is to be expounded
is--that you remain on shore for the present. The advice is that of
the priests. In either case you require some further intimation. In
your dream, _I_ was your safe guide--be guided now by me again." "Be it so, Amine. If your strange art be in opposition to our holy
faith, you expound the dream in conformity with the advice of its
ministers." "I do. And now, Philip, let us dismiss the subject from our thoughts. Should the time come, your Amine will not persuade you from your duty;
but recollect, you have promised to grant _one_ favour when I ask it." "I have: say, then, Amine, what may be your wish?" "O! nothing at present. I have no wish on earth but what is gratified. Have I not you, dear Philip?" replied Amine, fondly throwing herself
on her husband's shoulder. Chapter XV

It was about three months after this conversation that Amine and
Philip were again seated upon the mossy bank which we have mentioned,
and which had become their favourite resort. Father Mathias had
contracted a great intimacy with Father Seysen, and the two priests
were almost as inseparable as were Philip and Amine. Having determined
to wait a summons previous to Philip's again entering upon his strange
and fearful task; and, happy in the possession of each other, the
subject was seldom revived. Philip, who had, on his return, expressed
his wish to the Directors of the Company for immediate employment,
and, if possible, to have the command of a vessel, had, since that
period, taken no further steps, nor had any communication with
Amsterdam. "I am fond of this bank, Philip," said Amine; "I appear to have formed
an intimacy with it. It was here, if you recollect, that we debated
the subject of the lawfulness of inducing dreams; and it was here,
dear Philip, that you told me your dream, and that I expounded it." "You did so, Amine; but if you ask the opinion of Father Seysen, you
will find that he would give rather a strong decision against you--he
would call it heretical and damnable." "Let him, if he pleases. I have no objection to tell him." "I pray not, Amine; let the secret remain with ourselves only." "Think you Father Mathias would blame me?" "I certainly do." "Well, I do not; there is a kindness and liberality about the old man
that I admire. I should like to argue the question with him." As Amine spoke, Philip felt something touch his shoulder, and a sudden
chill ran through his frame. In a moment his ideas reverted to the
probable cause: he turned round his head, and, to his amazement,
beheld the (supposed to be drowned) mate of the _Ter Schilling_, the
one-eyed Schriften, who stood behind him, with a letter in his hand. The sudden appearance of this malignant wretch induced Philip to
exclaim, "Merciful heaven! is it possible?" Amine, who had turned her head round at the exclamation of Philip,
covered up her face, and burst into tears. It was not fear that caused
this unusual emotion on her part, but the conviction that her husband
was never to be at rest but in the grave. "Philip Vanderdecken," said Schriften, "he! he! I've a letter for
you--it is from the Company." Philip took the letter, but, previous to opening it, he fixed his eyes
upon Schriften. "I thought," said he, "that you were drowned when the
ship was wrecked in False Bay. How did you escape?" "How did I escape?" replied Schriften. "Allow me to ask how did you
escape?" "I was thrown up by the waves," replied Philip; "but--"

"But," interrupted Schriften, "he! he! the waves ought _not_ to have
thrown me up." "And why not, pray? I did not say that." "No! but I presume you wish it had been so; but, on the contrary,
I escaped in the same way that you did--I was thrown up by the
waves--he! he! but I can't wait here. I have done my bidding." "Stop," replied Philip; answer me one question. "Do you sail in the
same vessel with me this time?" "I'd rather be excused," replied Schriften; "I am not looking for the
Phantom Ship, Mynheer Vanderdecken;" and, with this reply, the little
man turned round and went away at a rapid pace. "Is not this a summons, Amine?" said Philip, after a pause, still
holding the letter in his hand, with the seal unbroken. "I will not deny it, dearest Philip. It is most surely so; the hateful
messenger appears to have risen from the grave that he might deliver
it. Forgive me, Philip; but I was taken by surprise. I will not again
annoy you with a woman's weakness." "My poor Amine," replied Philip, mournfully. "Alas! why did I not
perform my pilgrimage alone? It was selfish of me to link you with
so much wretchedness, and join you with me in bearing the fardel of
never-ending anxiety and suspense." "And who should bear it with you, my dearest Philip, if it is not the
wife of your bosom? You little know my heart if you think I shrink
from the duty. No, Philip, it is a pleasure, even in its most acute
pangs; for I consider that I am, by partaking with, relieving you of a
portion of your sorrow, and I feel proud that I am the wife of one who
has been selected to be so peculiarly tried. But, dearest, no more of
this. You must read the letter." Philip did not answer. He broke the seal, and found that the letter
intimated to him that he was appointed as first mate to the _Vrow
Katerina_, a vessel which sailed with the next fleet; and requesting
he would join as quickly as possible, as she would soon be ready to
receive her cargo. The letter which was from the secretary, further
informed him that, after this voyage, he might be certain of having
the command of a vessel as captain, upon conditions which would be
explained when he called upon the Board. "I thought, Philip, that you had requested the command of a vessel for
this voyage," observed Amine, mournfully. "I did," replied Philip; "but not having followed up my application,
it appears not to have been attended to. It has been my own fault." "And now it is too late?" "Yes, dearest, most assuredly so: but it matters not; I would as
willingly, perhaps rather, sail this voyage as first mate." "Philip, I may as well speak now. That I am disappointed, I must
confess; I fully expected that you would have had the command of a
vessel, and you may remember that I exacted a promise from you, on
this very bank upon which we now sit, at the time that you told me
your dream.