Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 254: what you’re looking at

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

246 HER ROYAL LOVER. were saying, since the last panic at the Bourse was only mortgages. Farther on, Count Quertz, a partisan very much opposed to the present ministry, was jesting with Monsieur de Brandt and his colleagues. The Prince of H——. who went no longer to court since he had been deposed by the Emperor of Babylon, had come. this evening on account of Prince Pattenpouff’s father, who had been one of his most intimate friends. and who, through his son, was going to be- come a branch of the royal house. No less gay than the formal festivities, was the dinner presided over by the Empress of Hindustan. The old queen and her grandchildren had conversed much, had laughed much; each one also feeling a heavy weariness, which courted a beneficent sleep. The repast, moreover, was near its close. The grandmother, embracing her dear princesses, was about to retire to her private apartments, when the chamberlain of the hereditary Prince of Babylon was announced. “ What does he want of me at this hour, Black?” said the empress to her confidential Scotchman, who had just come to impart to her this unexpected visit. “T do not know, your majesty, but he says that it is urgent; he comes on the part of the prince im- perial, who has strongly recommended him to see your majesty immediately.” “Let him enter, then.” Count de Schade appeared, and bowed profoundly before the sovereign. “What urgent business can bring you at this hour, Monsieur de Schade?” demanded the empress. “Your majesty, his imperial highness, the hered- itary prince, not being able.to leave the banquet, has Gomicbooks.co