“Certainly, that we must, and shall be gladly, beloved of my heart!  Let them say how we can prove our gratitude, and certainly it shall be done!”

“They have said it, and written it down in the contract.  Come, dearest, we will sign it, and then to the altar.”

She throws her arm around his neck, she draws him to the table where stands the notary with his witnesses.  She hands him the pen and looks at him with a sweet smile.

Venus!  Venus ever!

But he?  He is no longer Endymion!  He is the Electoral Prince Frederick William!  And strange! like a dream, like a greeting from afar, conies stealing to his ears, “Be a good man.”

“Take the pen and sign!” whispers Venus, with glowing looks of love.

He lays down the pen.  “I must know what I sign.  Read it, Sir Notary!”

The notary bows low and reads:  “In friendship and devotion to the Electoral Prince Frederick William of Brandenburg and his spouse, born Princess Ludovicka Hollandine of the Palatinate, we grant them an undisturbed asylum in our territories, promise to protect and defend them with all our power, to grant them, besides, maintenance and support, paying to the Electoral Prince of Brandenburg yearly subsidies of three hundred thousand livres, until he assumes the reins of government.  On his side, the Electoral Prince of Brandenburg pledges himself, so soon as he begins to rule in his own right, to conclude a league with us for twenty years, and never to unite with our enemies against us, but to be true to us in good as also in evil days.  Both parties confirm this by their signatures.  Count d’Entragues has signed in the name of France.”

“France!” cried the Electoral Prince, with loudly ringing voice.  “France is the friend who will lend us aid?”

“Yes, Prince, France it is,” said Count d’Entragues, approaching the Prince and bowing low before him.  “France through me offers to the noble Electoral Prince of Brandenburg protection and an asylum, pays him rich subsidies, and in return requires nothing but his alliance, and, above all things, his friendship.  I am happy to offer the friendship and good offices of King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu to the Electoral Prince of Brandenburg and his spouse, and to be permitted to witness the ceremony of their marriage.”

“Come, my beloved, sign,” whispered Ludovicka, with pleading voice.

But he thrust back the pen, and looked at the Princess with flaming eyes.  “Did you know, Princess, that it was France who was to assist us?”

“Certainly I knew it,” replied she, with feigned astonishment.  “Count d’Entragues himself offered me the assistance of France, and you gave me full powers to conclude all arrangements.”