“Oh, are you?” cried his prospective father-in-law. “Take off those rings! Here, Pappa!” to the retreating priest, “come back and do the service over again. My stick shall make acquaintance with your shoulders for this foolishness, you hussy! Take off that ring!” he shouted to his daughter.
But Angeliké kept her hand behind her, and remained coyly in the shadow, and Narkissos rose magnificently to the occasion.
“You may take the Lady Angeliké’s ring from my dead hand, lord, but while I live it does not leave me.”
“Come out, girl!” roared Prince Christodoridi, making a dash at his daughter. “I will have that ring off if I have to cut off your finger to get it,” but the priest, still sore on account of his wasted eloquence, interposed.
“That would be sacrilege, lord. Once the handfasting has taken place, the symphonia [contract] is as binding as marriage itself. None can break it. Carry the case to the Bishop—to the Œcumenical Patriarch himself, and he will tell you the same.”
“I will go to the Patriarch, dog, and you shall see!” cried the irate father, and ceased perforce, foaming with rage. While he was still muttering inarticulately, Parthenios Chalkiadi, with considerable courage, stepped forward as peacemaker.
“I was as much taken aback as you, friend Agesilaos,” he said frankly, laying his hand on the Prince’s shoulder, “but I can’t say that I am altogether sorry for what has happened. It seems to me that these two young people are a good deal happier than they were half an hour ago. The only one who seems to have been badly treated is my goddaughter. What says the Lady Danaë? Does she wish the betrothal broken, if it can be done?”
“Nothing less so, lord,” cried Danaë eagerly. “I had no desire to marry the Lord Narkissos.”
“Then it looks as if everyone was satisfied,” said Kyrios Parthenios gravely. “Let us have the coffee, Danaë,” in the most audible of whispers. “Come, friend Agesilaos,” to Prince Christodoridi, “let the young folks kiss your hand. I’m sure I never saw a handsomer couple since the day I was best man to yourself and my friend Kyria Xantippe there. Ah, that’s right!”