nd lifted her eyes to the king, who, pale and silent,
was gazing at her in unutterable despair.

"Now I am happy," breathed the queen. "You are with me, and my beloved
sons!"

The king's sorrow was overpowering him, and he quickly turned and left
the room. Heim approached the princes and begged them in a low voice to
withdraw, because the queen was unable to bear so much excitement. They
rose from their knees and kissed their mother's hands. Louisa was so
faint that she could greet her children only with a smile, and was
unable to bear their presence longer. But her eyes followed them
steadfastly until they had withdrawn.

She lay long silent and motionless, and then whispered to her sister,
the Princess of Solms: "The king acted as though he wished to take leave
of me. Tell him not to do so, else I shall die immediately. But where is
he? Where is my husband? Oh, why is he not with me?"

Frederick William stood in a corner of the anteroom, his head leaning
against the wall, his hands pressed against his breast, in order to
suppress the sobs which escaped from it in spite of him. His eyes were
tearless; his quivering lips were murmuring: "My wife is dying! She is
dying!"

"Louisa wishes to see you," whispered the Princess of Solms, approaching
him. "But, pray be gentle; do not manifest your grief; Louisa says that
else she would die immediately."

"No," said the king, sternly, "she shall not die. I will endeavor to be
calm!" And, restraining his grief, he stepped to the queen's bedside. "I
just had a conference with the physicians," he said, almost smilingly.
"They make me hope for the best. Indeed, I never believed that you were
in danger; I was only deeply moved because I saw you suffering so
intensely."

The queen looked him full in the face, and made no reply. The king sat
down on her bed and took her right hand. Louisa pressed his hand gently,
and fixed her eyes with a thoughtful and grave expression on his
countenance. Suddenly a dark shadow passed over her face. "It is coming!
It is coming!" she cried in a tone of heart-rending anguish, and started
up in excruciating pain.

The king went to the door and called the physicians, who hastened into
the room, followed by the duke, the princes, and the whole family.
Madame von Berg raised the groaning sufferer. The physicians were
standing in the middle of the room. "We cannot help her. It is the last
convulsion!"

"Air! air!" cried the queen.

Frederick Wi