Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

130 HER ROYAL LOVER, “A little—yes.” “And that displeases you?” “Oh, no, sire!—no; I did not mean to say that.” “Then, what do you mean? Notwithstanding all the happiness that I experience to be thus absolutely alone with you, if it is nceessary for your tran- quillity for me to leave you, I will immediately withdraw. Iam ready to do so, whatsoever it will cost me; but, do not ask me to cease to pay atten- tion to you, to cease to endeavor to please you, in order to attain to making myself loved as much as I love you! That, dear heart, is beyond my strength. I could promise you it, but I could not keep it. Ah! that I were your brother, your father even, or a friend so intimate that I might defend you, against one and against all, in every circumstance of your life, so agitated, so unjustly unhappy!” cried, sud- denly and passionately, the sovereign, allowing free course to the passion which was consuming him. None of those atrocious and so often repeated scenes, which she had had to submit to from her suspicious husband, had agitated Najeska Ivan- owna, as much as the burning words of the amorous | king. Had she gone too far with him? or had she permitted herself to be too much carried away by the novel sensation which was entirely usurping her? In this moment, the king appeared so noble, so chivalrous, that her isolated heart, so avaricious of a sure and devoted support, commenced to enjoy all the charm which the fervent language, the ex- pression of the king’s emotion was kindling in her. “How good you are!” murmured she, very low. “But, why do you speak thus of defending me? Do you believe that I have need of a defender? Is calumny, then, much incensed against me?” Gomicbooks: com