Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

156 HER ROYAL LOVER. grace and beauty of the equestrienne, they had fol- lowed her with their eyes. Suddenly, they related, a gentleman, whose face and figure closely resem- bled the Caucasian Ambassador, had approached Madame de Mineleko, and had entered into conver- sation with her; then a formidable cry was heard. Foreboding a disaster, they darted forward; but, when they arrived upon the scene of action, it was too late; the horse of the ambassadress, in its frantic course, was hastening to the entrance of the city, while that of her assailant was rapidly penetrating in the thick coppice-wood of the forest. Then at full speed, there passed near them, a little fright- ened groom, who was uttering convulsive exclama- tions, endeavoring to increase the furious gait of his horse; the unlucky servant was flying to the succor of his mistress. The evidence of the flower-girls was so serious, that the reporters received a formal order from the police, not to mention it in their accounts. “A gentleman, closely resembling the Caucasian Am- bassador,” the two young girls had said. That was overwhelming—but they might be mistaken. In the afternoon, the king received a summary of the inquiries made about the terrible accident of the | ambassadress. He was not only very uneasy for the health of Najeska Ivanowna, but also much frightened at the consequences that this affair might have. In thinking of all this, his indignation against the husband of his well-beloved, was aug- menting more and more. “Whata brute!” to have dared to raise his whip on so much loveliness, so many charms! What to do? to defend, to avenge her, was to destroy her; was she not the wife of this madman? And did it not follow that, as am- Gomicbooks. com