Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

HER ROYAL LOVER. 141 sence, which cannot be of long duration. I will be back before an hour, and we will still have all the time necessary for the courier at three o’clock.” This phrase, calmly delivered, was the result alone of the routine and the force of his diplomatic habits ; notwithstanding the empire which this man of iron exercised over himself, the secretary, a very close observer, divined immediately that a great trouble was agitating his master; for, whatsoever effort he made to conceal it, his mobile physiognomy was betraying him. It had been agreed, between the king and Madame de Mineleko, that in parting from each other, she should take the direct road leading to the city, while he would take the one to the right, a little more circuitous. When she was alone, Najeska Ivanowna began to reflect seriously on the delicate and almost danger- ous position in which she found herself with the king. Letting the reins hang carelessly upon her horse’s neck, who commenced to walk tranquilly, she followed the course of her thoughts. “What would be the issue of this labyrinth, in which her beauty, her imprudence perhaps, had so uncon- sciously thrown her? How much had she not borne, to regret this amiability, this graciousness with which she innocently attracted everybody? Why could she not, like another woman, cling to the evasion of an obligatory departure, which would compel her to leave this court, this palace where, she felt only too well, that great misfortunes were hovering over her! But no! all was escaping her, even the most ordinary means; the abyss was there, yawning under her feet; each day it was hollowing Eomichbooks:.com