Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 192: what you’re looking at

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

184 HER ROYAL LOVER. nity, a sacred silence as to who had struck her; al- though she thought herself able to count upon the discretion of her groom, of whom she had com- manded absolute silence, the princess was fearing that the truth would come to light. But, neverthe- less, in spite of herself, she felt in her heart a new indignation against her husband, who, she said to herself, was becoming a coward through his jeal- ousy and brutality. She was thinking with dread of the future. Would it be possible for her to remain fettered to this man in whom the brute was aroused at every suspicion, even the most fugitive? Notwithstanding all his promises, all his desires, he would never change! Can a being, arrived to nearly fifty years, still modify his character? The habits are too firmly set. At the sight of the dear invalid a great compas- sion seized the king—a compassion which inclined his heart to love her with a more complete, a more energetic tenderness than it had hitherto done, with all the fires of his passion. Yes, at any price, he would save this woman from a future yawning with dangers which was opening before her. His majesty was so affected by the circumstances of this second ¢ete-a-tete that he could scarcely speak. “How happy I am to see you again!” said he, sud- denly approaching the couch on which the con- valescent was reclining. Najeska Ivanowna signed to him to be seated. “You are still very feeble?” “T have suffered much, sire.” “I know it, and believe that I have felt the reper- cussion of each of your sufferings,” “You are good, sire!” “No! only I love you!” m Gomicbooks. co