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.
Below all these great names Cellini wrote his own in a firm, distinct hand. And yet he was not the one who had made the least painful sacrifice.
After writing his name, the Spanish ambassador drew nigh the duchess.
"Our plans still hold, madame?" he asked.
"Mon Dieu!" she replied, "do what you choose: what matters France or the world to me?"
The duke bowed. As he resumed his place, his nephew, a young and inexperienced diplomat, remarked:—
"So it is the Emperor's purpose that not the King of France, but his son, shall be Duke of Milan?"
"Neither the one nor the other will be," replied the ambassador.
Meanwhile other signatures were being affixed.