ne. He thought of
nothing and knew nothing but that he must see her, must prove to her how
passionately he loved her, how fervently and devoutly he believed in her.
The horse dashed on furiously, breathlessly, and yet it seemed to the
Electoral Prince as if an eternity had elapsed ere he finally reached
Castle Doornward. He breathed a glad sigh of relief, threw the reins to
the promptly advancing servants, and vaulted from the horse. His beaming
eyes were uplifted to his beloved's window, and he saluted her with his
thoughts and his smile. He thought she must feel it, and his looks and
thoughts must bring her to the window. He stopped and looked up--but
Ludovicka did not appear at the window; only an orange-colored ribbon was
fluttering there in the sunshine and the wind, and Frederick William
smiled joyfully, for he took it as a token of good fortune. Then he
entered the castle, reverentially greeted by the lackeys, who ventured
not to oppose him, as with rapid bounds, like a young deer, he sprang up
the steps. Straight to the apartments of the Princess Ludovicka he strode,
through the antechamber into the drawing room. But she was not there; she
came not to meet him in her enchanting beauty, with that affectionate
smile upon her crimson lips. No, Ludovicka was not there, and the
chambermaid who officiously hurried from the adjoining room informed the
Prince that her most gracious young lady had already been gone an hour on
a visit to The Hague, whence she would not return till the next morning.
But the sharp, cunning eyes of the Abigail, had meanwhile peered through
the door, which the Prince had left open, out into the antechamber, and,
finding that no one was there, the Prince having come quite alone, she
approached nearer to him.

"Most gracious sir," she whispered, "I was, however, to have gone into
town and handed something for the Electoral Prince to his valet, to whom I
am engaged."

"Now it will be more convenient for you, Alice," said the Electoral Prince
cheerfully. "You need no third party. I am here myself. Give to me
personally what you would have given to my valet, your respected
betrothed, for me."

"Here it is," whispered Alice, drawing from the pocket attached to her
girdle by a silver chain a little note, which, with a graceful bow, she
handed to the Prince.

"And here is your reward," he said, taking a gold piece from his purse
and handing it to her. She took it, blushing with confusion, and bow