At the announcement made by the usher, all the courtiers turned, and all were paralyzed for a moment when they saw this strange group. Their astonishment redoubled when the king, stepping aside to allow the sculptor to pass in front of him, said in a loud voice:-- "Master Benvenuto, take our place for the moment, and our authority; speak as if you were the king, and be obeyed as a king should be." "Beware, Sire," replied the goldsmith: "in order to fill your place fittingly, I propose to be magnificent." "Go on, Benvenuto," said François laughingly; "every magnificent stroke will be a bit of flattery for me." "Very good, Sire; that puts me at my ease, and I will praise you as much as I can. Do not forget," he continued, "all you who hear me, that the king is speaking by my mouth. Messieurs les Notaires, you have prepared the contract which his Majesty deigns to sign? Insert the names of the contracting parties." The two notaries seized their pens and made ready to write the names in the two copies of the contract, one of which was to remain in the archives and the other in their office. "Of the one part," continued Cellini, "the noble and puissant demoiselle, Colombe d'Estourville." "Colombe d'Estourville," repeated the notaries, mechanically, while the auditors listened in open-mouthed astonishment. "Of the other part," continued Cellini, "the most noble and puissant Ascanio Gaddi, Seigneur de Nesle." "Ascanio Gaddi!" cried the provost and D'Orbec in the same breath. "A mere artisan!" added the provost bitterly, turning toward the king. "Ascanio Gaddi, Seigneur de Nesle," repeated Benvenuto, unmoved, "upon whom his Majesty bestows letters of naturalization and the office of Superintendent of the Royal Châteaux." "If his Majesty so commands, I will obey," said the provost; "but--" "Ascanio Gaddi," continued Benvenuto, "out of regard for whom his Majesty grants to Messire Robert d'Estourville, Provost of Paris, the title of Chamberlain." "Sire, I am ready to sign," said D'Estourville, vanquished at last. "Mon Dieu! mon Dieu!" murmured Colombe, falling back into her chair, "is not all this a dream?" "And what of me?" cried D'Orbec. "As for you," rejoined Cellini, continuing his royal functions; "as for you, Comte d'Orbec, I spare you the inquiry which I should be justified in ordering into your conduct. Clemency is a kingly virtue, no less than generosity, is it not, Sire? But here are the contracts, all prepared; let us sign, messieurs, let us sign!" "He plays the king to perfection," cried François, as happy as a monarch on a vacation. He passed the pen to Ascanio, who signed with a trembling hand; Ascanio then passed the pen to Colombe, to whose assistance Madame Diane had gone in pure kindness of heart. The hands of the lovers met, and they almost swooned. Next came Madame Diane, who passed the pen to the Duchesse d'Etampes, who passed it to the provost, the provost to D'Orbec, and D'Orbec to the Spanish ambassador.