Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

HER ROYAL LOVER. 95 prised him, and thus as the princess pretended to suppose, the scoundrel had killed him to prevent him from summoning witnesses. Several thefts had been committed a short time since in the peaceful residence. It was scarcely two months ago that all the papers of the Illyrian embassy had been stolen. On the other hand, noth- ing was missing, nothing was broken in the house, and the profile of the man who had so rapidly dis- appeared had nothing of a thief. He listened at the partition of his wife’s door; not a sound was heard. Thus, without a light, Mineleko, completely dressed, had thrown himself in his arm-chair. Bless me! how long the night seemed to this man who, not withstanding his lassitude, did not wish to let sleep gain upon him, and remained thus for some hours, with ears on the watch! The spring evenings, a little cool, necessitated some fire toward night. At present, there being no fuel to feed the fire, it was slowly dying out in the large white porcelain stove; the penetrating cold of the night was gradually invading this chamber, that a very small night-lamp was feebly lighting. Placed near the princess’ bed, it threw its feeble light upon all the surrounding objects, and gave to them a fantastic form. Not a sound which fills, even by night, the gay and broad streets of large cities, was heard in this little quiet town. At such an hour the carriages which by their weight shake the causeways, and the steps of belated pedestrians, are sounds com- pletely unknown here. Here nothing, nothing of all that comes to disturb the peaceful repose of our good Thessalian citizens. Suddenly the large cracked bell of the old chateau Eomichbooks.com