Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 102: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

94 HER ROYAL LOVER. was intrusted to two colossal Tartars esteemed for their devotion, and for greater security they let loose in the garden the big dog “Nero,” a magnifi- cent beast who was worth alone as a guard two of the most resolute men. After all these precautions, taken as much by the police as by the Prince de Mineleko, he returned to his apartment, which was opposite that of his wife. All was tranquil and dark in the house. In the chamber of the dead, only, many candles were burn- ing asinachapel. Vassili and two or three Cau- casians servant-women were kneeling before the sacred Russian images with which they had piously surrounded it, and were watching the corpse while reciting the prayers of the orthodox church. On re-entering his chamber, the prince extin- guished his lamp so that Najeska Ivanowna should believe him asleep, and would feel herself thus more serene, more quiet, if she really was in collu- sion with the man, who had come the preceding nights and whom she was doubtless expecting again. In the chamber of the princess, all appeared plunged in the most profound obscurity. Mineleko breathed a sigh of relief in believing that she was resting. Did his jealousy, which was making him so miserable, positively deceive him? Was Najeska Ivanowna really ignorant of this apparition of the preceding night? But wherefore those red stains upon the marble, those stains of blood! But, after all, why should not the supposi- tions of his wife as to the manner in which Kassar had met his death be exact. That man who had introduced himself in the house was perhaps only a simple thief, attracted by the allurement of a rich booty. The unfortunate Kassar had probably sur- EGomiic JOO SHE)