“This is very perplexing,” said Duke Deodonato, and he knit his brows; for as he gazed upon the beauty of the damsel, it seemed to him a thing unnatural, undesirable, unpalatable, unpleasant, and unendurable, that she should wed Dr. Fusbius. Yet if such were the law—Duke Deodonato sighed, and he glanced at the damsel: and it chanced that the damsel glanced at Duke Deodonato, and, seeing that he was a proper man and comely, and that his eye spoke his admiration of her, she blushed; and her cheek that had gone white when those of the Judges who favored the learned Doctor were speaking, went red as a rose again, and she strove to order her hair and to conceal the rent that was in her robe. And Duke Deodonato sighed again.
“My Lord,” he said to the President, “we have heard these wise and erudite men; and, forasmuch as the matter is difficult, they are divided among themselves, and the staff whereon we leant is broken. Speak, therefore, your mind.”
Then the President of the Council looked earnestly at Duke Deodonato, but the Duke veiled his face with his hand.
“Answer truly,” said he, “without fear or favor; so shall you fulfil Our pleasure.”
And the President, looking round upon the company, said:
“It is, Your Highness, by all reasonable, honest, just, proper, and honorable intendment, as good, sound, full, and explicit an offer of marriage as hath ever been had in this Duchy.”
“So be it,” said Duke Deodonato; and Dr. Fusbius smiled in triumph, while the maiden grew pale again.
“And,” pursued the President, “it binds, controls, and rules every man, woman, and child in these Your Highness’s dominions, and hath the force of law over all.”
“So be it,” said Deodonato again.
“Saving,” added the President, “Your Highness only.”