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
u