II.
There was a gasp from the audience. Every one stared at the princess. Even the duke himself. Without turning his head he took her in with his furtive eyes.
"Mlle. la Princess," he said icily, "was good enough to insist upon the sacrifice."
At this, a stain of richer color slowly crept up the throat of the Princess Gabrielle; there came a touch of extra fire to her eyes. Perhaps she would have spoken. But the duke hadn't finished yet.
"We'll see whether she loves him so much or not," said the duke. "We'll give them three days of it—three days to go and come as they wish—and to do as they wish—together—always together—bound to each other by their ten-foot chain."
But while the excitement caused by the duke's announcement was still crisping the nerves of every one present, the smith had cast one more glance in the direction of the Princess Gabrielle. And this time their eyes met. There were those who saw a glint of terror—of delicious terror—in the eyes of the princess; and in the eyes of Gaspard a look intended to be reassuring.
Then the smith had unfolded his arms, thrust them forward.
"Wait," he cried.
At that there was a fresh sensation.
For it was seen that one of his wrists—his left—was already encircled by a bracelet of shining steel, forged there of a single piece, and that to the bracelet itself there was forged a link, fine but powerful, and that other links ran back over his shoulder.
"Ha!" snarled the duke. "So you've come prepared!"
"By the grace of God!" replied Gaspard the smith, unafraid. He cast a look about him, brought his eyes back to the duke. "Moi, Gaspard," he said, "I forge my own chains—always! I'm a smith, I am."
The two old people kneeling just back of him began to sob and to groan. Gaspard turned and looked down at them.
"Shut up," he ordered; "I'm talking."
He smiled at the duke. He explained.
"You see, they're frightened," he said. "When I found out what your highness and your highness's lady-granddaughter were planning up here in the castle, why, I went to these old folks and told them that I wanted their daughter Susette."
"I suppose you loved her," the duke put in with ironical intent.
But the smith saw no reason for irony.
"Eh, bon Dieu!" he ejaculated. "And save your highness's respect, we've loved each other ever since we were out of the cradle, we have. So I made the old folks consent. I'm a smith, I am. I forge my own chains. Stand around, Susette! His highness won't hurt you. Look!"
He stepped aside. He gave a gentle thrust to the girl who had been sheltering back of him. The chain rattled.
And there was another cry of surprise.
One of the girl's wrist's also was ornamented with a steel handcuff tightly welded. Not only that, but to this also was attached a chain. The smith threw up his arm. It was the same chain that was welded to his own handcuff—ten feet of it, glistening steel, unbreakable.
"There's your ten-foot chain, highness," cried Gaspard. "And it's no trick-chain, either," he added. "It's a chain that will hold. You bet it will. I forged it myself, and I know. It's a chain you couldn't buy. Why? Because—because the iron of it's mixed with love. Nor can it be cut, nor filed, nor broken. I'm a smith, I am. And each link of it I tempered myself—with sweat and blood."
There for a time it was a question—possibly a question in the mind of the duke himself—just how many minutes the smith still had to live. Many a valet had been executed for less. During a period of about thirty seconds the duke's face went black. Then the blackness dispersed. He slowly smiled.
After all, he wasn't to be cheated of his experiment.
But he answered the question that was in his own mind and the minds of all the others there as he looked at the smith and said:
"Fool, you'll be sufficiently punished—by your own device."
He let his eyes drift again to the Princess Gabrielle.
"And thou," he said, "art sufficiently punished already."