body has opened it,
but there it is. The Electoral Prince jumps up and offers the Princess his
hand. Neither of the two speaks, for their hearts are beating overloud.

The merry music and uproarious shouts of the gods on Olympus penetrate to
them even in the stillness of the cave, but through the open door other
sounds steal near. Solemn, long-drawn organ peals are heard, uniting in
the melody of a pious choral. How strangely blended within that narrow
space those exultant songs and those organ tones! The young lovers hear
only the notes of the organ, and hand in hand move toward the sound.

A small pleasure boat receives them, flowers and myrtle trees line the
banks, and inviting and alluring the organ calls them. Light glimmers at
the end of the passage, and the lovers go toward it. They enter a large
wide room! Solemn silence reigns here. At the farther end is a small
altar. On it burn tall wax tapers, and before it, in full canonicals,
stands the priest, prayer book in hand. At his sides are two gentlemen
in simple, somber dress.

Farther forward, nearer the center of the hall, is a table hung with
green, on which lie several papers and implements of writing, and near it
is a notary in his official garb, again attended by several men. To all
this Prince Frederick William gives but one brief glance, then turns his
eyes once more upon his beloved, standing at his side, radiant in beauty
and enticingly sweet. The jubilant songs of Olympus yet ring in their
ears, the images of the gods yet flame and flaunt before their eyes.

"How beautiful you are, beloved Ludovicka! My Electoral Princess! come,
let us go to the altar! Oh, your good, kind friends! How I thank them! How
well they have arranged everything! Come! You see, the priest is waiting!"

"Not yet, beloved! For you see before the priest stands the notary, and my
good friends will have us go through all the formalities of legal
marriage. Before we are married we must sign the contract!"

"The contract of love is written in our hearts alone. What need for the
intervention of signatures on paper? And how can strangers know what we
alone can settle with one another? I swear unswerving love and fidelity to
my Electoral Princess, and that requires no written confirmation. Come to
the altar, dearest!"

He endeavors to draw her forward, but Ludovicka flings her arm about his
neck and holds him back. "Beloved," she whispers, "the contract which we
sign concerns not u