Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

118 HER ROYAL LOVER. eldest daughter, “and we will have out all the boats.” Hardly had the idea been expressed, before the king put it in execution. He said something ina low tone to his chamberlain, who, approaching an old boatman, communicated to him the orders of the king. Mineleko, whose jealous eye lost none of the acts and gestures of his majesty, remarked that among the little boats that they were bringing, there was several of those long and slender wherries which could contain only two persons. Now he knew that the king, skillful in all the exercises of the body, was an emerited rower whose passion had _ been, during the life-time of the late queen, to row during the evening entire hours upon this silent pond. There, listening tenderly to the sweet voice of his companion singing his favorite airs, he rowed slowly and enjoyed with pleasure one of the best pastimes that the cares of royalty left him. These narrow boats had been constructed for those fete-a-tete promenades; the king never eet aes a third party between himself and wife. All the preparations of the boatien being com- pleted, they prepared to embark. “Prince,” said the king, smiling, “will you intrust to me, during a half hour only, the life of Madame le Ambassadrice. I will answer for it to you with — my own, and I swear you that nothing grievous will happen to her.” What response is there to a royal command? Is it not an order? The Prince de Mineleko, suffocat- ing witb indignation, could not speak; he bowed his head silently and this profound inclination was an affirmative response, The king entered the wherry Gomme JOO ‘S.coO