“As assuredly he will,” says I, who knew the crafty, subtle character of old Simon full well by, this time.  “A thousand objections, and not one you can pick a hole in.”

“Then show him this and tell him I accept Mr. Goodman’s offer unless he can find more profitable means of raising money.”

With that she puts in my hand a letter she had that morning received from one Henry Goodman, a tenant, who having heard that she had disposed of a farm to his neighbour, now humbly prayed she would do him the same good turn by selling him the land he rented, and for which he was prepared to pay down in ready money the sum of five thousand pounds.

Armed with this letter, I sought Simon and delivered Moll’s message.  As I expected, the wily old man had good excuses ready for not complying with this request, showing me the pains he had taken to get the king’s seal, his failures to move the king’s officers, and the refusal of his goldsmith to furnish further supplies before the deed of succession was passed.

“These objections are all very just,” says I, “so I see no way of pleasing our lady but by selling Mr. Goodman’s farm, which she will have done at once if there be no alternative.”  So I give him the letter, which he can scarce read for trembling with anguish.

“What,” cries he, coming to the end, “I am to sell this land which I bought for nine hundred pounds and is now worth six thousand?  I would rather my mistress had bid me have the last teeth torn from my head.”

“We must have money,” says I.

“Thee shalt have it in good time.  Evans hath been paid, and thy debt shall be discharged; fear not.”

“I spoke as representing our lady; for ourselves we are content to wait her better convenience.”  And I told him how his mistress would lay out her money in embellishing the Court with paintings, which put him to a new taking to think so much good money should be wasted in such vanities.

“But,” says he, “this work must take time, and one pays for nothing ere ’tis done.  By quarter day our rents will be coming in again—­”

“No,” says I, cutting him short, “the money must be found at once, or be assured that your lady will take the management of her affairs out of your hands.”

This raised a fresh outcry and more lamentations, but in the end he promised to procure the money by collecting his rents in advance, if his mistress would refuse Mr. Goodman’s offer and wait three weeks; and on Moll’s behalf I agreed to these terms.

A few days after this, we were called into the dining-hall to see the finished ceiling, which truly deserved all the praise we could bestow upon it, and more.  For now that the sky appeared through the opening, with a little pearly cloud creeping across it, the verdure and flowers falling over the marble coping, and the sunlight falling on one side and throwing t’other into shade, the illusion was complete, so that one could scarcely have been more astonished had a leaf fallen from the hanging flowers or a face looked over the balcony.  In short; ’twas prodigious.