Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

136 HER ROYAL LOVER. potatoes in blossom, coming to give to the dis- inherited of society the assurance that they should feel no hunger. All this landscape was animated by the coming and going of peasant men and women, who, to the melancholy sounds of their sweet and rhythmical songs, zealously applied them- selves without relaxation to their labor. The revival of spring was regenerating entire nature; it was a general festival. The blackbird, in his black robe; the bullfinch, in his red dress, were warbling joyous trills, adding, thus, their gay and harmonious notes to the concert offered by the Author of all things. “How beautiful it is!” said the king. “Can one, on such a day, suffer the trifles of life to affect him ?” Najeska Ivanowna, struck by all that splendor, by all that brilliant light, was dazzled. The king, feeling himself a little in disgrace, was very humble. “Confess to me,” said he, softly, ‘“‘that in the pres- ence of this lovely nature, the little indignation that I have quite involuntarily but just now excited in your heart is now appeased, and that you pardon me.” “One only pardons the guilty,” responded the prin- cess, graciously. “And have I not been so, a little, in speaking as I have done?” “This time, I have imitated the example of my husband.” “How so?” “In growing angry with your majesty, I have only followed the impulse of a lively irritation, provoked by the persistent malignity of other women against me.” Eomichbooks. Go m