“Yes, you sweet, lovely girl, you can only follow me as your husband.  To-morrow night we make our escape, and ere we escape we must be married, and a priest shall bless our love.  You say you have influential and powerful friends here, and indeed I know that the richest, noblest men in Holland vie with one another for one kind glance from my Ludovicka.  Oh, not in vain have the States stood godfather for my bride, and given her their name.  Now will some rich, powerful citizen of Holland prove that he, too, is godfather to the lovely Princess Hollandine, and in Java or Peru, or perhaps on some ship, find us a republic.  I accept it, beloved, I accept it, and swear beforehand that the future Elector shall reward the rich mynheer and the whole of Holland for the good now done to the Electoral Prince and his beloved Hollandine.  Speak, therefore, to your good, rich friends; tell them they may help and assist us.  I agree to everything, I accept everything.  I only want you, you yourself, for you are my all, my life, my light!”

“You give me full power, then, to make arrangements for our flight, my Frederick?”

“I give you full power, my beloved; you are wiser, more thoughtful than I am; besides, you are not so strictly guarded, so encircled by spies as I am.”

“No; to-morrow I am still free,” exulted she—­“to-morrow the Electoral Prince of Hesse has as yet no power over me, and no one will be observing me.  My mother has been detained by sickness at The Hague, and here at Doornward there are no spies.  Yes, I take charge of all, beloved.  I shall manage everything, and to-morrow night I shall expect you.”

“To-morrow night I shall come here to take you away, my, beloved.”

“No, not here, for to-morrow my mother comes home, and then the castle will no longer be so solitary and quiet; then there will be many people here, and our movements might be watched.”

“Well, where else shall I find you, Ludovicka?”

She clung to him, and gazed tenderly into his glowing eyes.  “Oh,” she said, “you do not know what I have ventured and dared for you.  Do you remember with what animation and rapture you spoke to me recently of the secret league which exists at The Hague, of the rare feasts which you solemnize there, of the pleasure and delight you experience there?  Do you remember how you lamented that we could not enjoy this glorious companionship together, that I could not be there at your side?  Well, see, beloved, now you must admit how much I love you, and how ready I am to please you.  I have in perfect secrecy and silence had myself initiated into the order of the Media Nocte.”

“You have done that?” cried the Prince, in joyful astonishment.  “You belong to this glorious company of great minds, naming hearts, and noble souls?  Oh, my Ludovicka, I recognize your love in this, and I thank you, and am proud of it that my betrothed belongs to the genial, the intellectual, and the elect.  Oh, you are not merely my destined bride, you are my muse, my goddess, and in humility I bow my head before you, and I kiss the hem of your robe, beloved mistress, chosen one!”