ell named!" said Deodonato softly, and he went to the damsel, and he
laid his hand, full gently, on her robe, and he said:

"Dulcissima, you have the prettiest face in all the Duchy, and I will
have no wife but you;" and Duke Deodonato kissed the damsel.

The damsel forbore to strike Duke Deodonato, as she had struck Dr.
Fusbius. Again her cheek went red, and again pale, and she said:

"I wed no man on compulsion."

"Madam, I am your Sovereign," said Duke Deodonato; and his eyes were on
the damsel.

"If you were an Archangel----" cried the damsel.

"Our house is not wont to be scorned of ladies," said Deodonato. "Am I
crooked, or baseborn, or a fool?"

"This day in your Duchy women are slaves, and men their masters by your
will," said she.

"It is the order of nature," said Deodonato.

"It is not my pleasure," said the damsel.

Then Deodonato laid his hand on his silver bell, for he was very angry.

"Fusbius waits without," said he.

"I will wed him and kill him," cried Dulcissima.

Deodonato gazed on her.

"You had no chance of using the pins," said he, "and the rent in your
gown is very sore."

And upon this the eyes of the damsel lost their fire and sought the
floor; and she plucked at her girdle, and would not look on Deodonato.
And they said outside:

"It is very still in the Hall of the Duke."

Then said Deodonato:

"Dulcissima, what would you?"

"That you repeal your decrees," said she.

Deodonato's brow grew dark; he did not love to go back.

"What I have decreed, I have decreed," said he.

"And what I have resolved, I have resolved," said she.

Deodonato drew near to her.

"And if I repeal the decrees?" said he.

"You will do well," said she.

"And you will wed----"

"Whom I will," said she.

Deodonato turned to the window, and for a space he looked out; and the
damsel smoothed her hair and drew her robe, where it was whole, across
the rent; and she looked on Deodonato as he stood, and her bosom rose
and fell. And she prayed a prayer that no man heard, or, if he heard,
might be so base as to tell. But she saw the dark locks of Deodonato's
hair and his form, straight as an arrow and tall as a six-foot wand, in
the window. And again, outside, they said:

"It is strangely still in the Hall of the Duke."

Then Deodonato turned, and he pressed with his hand on the silver bell,
and straightway the Hall was filled with the Councilors, the Judges,
and the halberdiers, attenti