He said, 'Show it;' and, oh! he gloated over it like a maid over her first love-letter.

'If there were two of these, now!' he whispered.
"'Two, my Lord!' I answered; 'there's no fellow to that pearl in the whole world,' though it is true that as I said the words, the setting of its twin, that was pinned to my inner shirt, pricked me sorely, as if in anger.

Then I took it up again, and for the second time began to bow myself out.
"'Jacob,' he said, 'you are an old friend, and I'll stretch my duty for you.

Leave the pearl--his Grace needs that L1000 so sorely that I must keep it against my will,' and he put out his hand to take it, only to find that I had covered it with my own.
"'First the writing, then its price, my Lord.

Here is a memorandum of it set out fair, to save you trouble, if it pleases you to sign.' "He read it through, then, taking a pen, scored out the clause as regards acquittal of the witchcraft, which, he said, must be looked into by the King in person or by his officers, but all the rest he signed, undertaking to hand over the proper deeds under the great seal and royal hand upon payment of L1000.