Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 227: what you’re looking at

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

HER ROYAL LOVER. : 219 to be entirely devoted to them, under the protection of the Sisters of Mercy. There, in the shelter of that pious and inviolable sanctuary, she would have nothing to fear from the violent Mineleko, who on learning her absence might profit by it, perhaps, to abduct, to steal from her by the aid of a third party, since he could not act himself, her treasures, her only jewels. The convent of Sainte-Marie de la Miserecorde was only afew hours distant from the residence. The village in which this asylum of piety and devo- tion was situated did not belong to the territory of Thessaly. Last in the rugged summits of environ- ing mountains, it marked the first halting place out- side of the frontier of the kingdom of Charles Fer- dinand of Thessaly. The few days, however, which still separated Madame de Mineleko from her marriage with the king passed quickly, too quickly, perhaps, to accord with her wishes. This second union would soon be forever consum- mated. She was going to belong to the king for- ever! Mineleko also was soon to be forever in de- spair. The year passed in his society, a time so short but so fertile in events, however, would be no more than aremembrance. The reality—life such as her vivid imagination had made her desire, would it commence for her? Alas! who will ever be able to fathom the depths of the human soul, and comprehend all its secret re- cesses ! This young and beautiful woman, born for happi- ness. on the eve of seizing it, commenced now al- most to regret the combats fought, the delusions ex- perienced; it was because she knew this past, and Ecomicbooks.com