V.--BRUTUS.


The door was now opened, a valet entered and announced, "Her highness the
Electress!" And before the Electoral Prince had time to advance, the
Electress had entered the room.

"I come to welcome you once more, my Frederick!" she cried, stretching out
her arms to her son. "Entirely without witnesses, simply as his mother
would I greet my son, and tell him how happy I am that he is once more
here."

She flung her arms around her son's neck, and pressed him ardently to her
bosom. Baron Leuchtmar, who upon the Electress's approach had stepped
aside, now crept softly through the apartment to the door, and was already
in the act of opening it, when the Electress quickly raised her head and
looked around.

"Stay where you are, Baron Leuchtmar," she said; "why would you slip away
from us?"

"I may not presume by my presence to disturb the confidential discourse
between the Electress and her son."

"You do not disturb us at all, for you belong to us, Leuchtmar," replied
Charlotte Elizabeth, nodding kindly to him. "On the contrary, I will tell