Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

162 HER ROYAL LOVER, but was that a reason to suppose that she had de- scended to dishonor? She had entered the little pavilion, the vile informer had added. What was there so compromising in that? From that height the view was magnificent; Najeska Ivanowna, of a meditative nature, a lover of the beautiful, had been capable of repairing to this promenade which prom- ised her such a sublime spectacle. When, filled with the remembrance of the admired and forsaken beau- ties, she had seen him brutally spring up before her, was it singular that dismayed, suffocated, she had not been able to explain her meeting with the king? By interrogating the little groom, and threatening to kill him if he did not tell the absolute truth, he would know immediately how long a time the king and the ambassadress had remained alone together. But would he dare now to call this valet? Alone with this wicked scoundrel would he not cast this in his face? | “It is you, you alone, infamous assailant of your wife! I hold you in my power, and if you dare to threaten me, I call! They will come at my cries, then I will tell them the truth, and you will be cast into prison, like the worst of blackguards. And, after this scandal, prepare for your disgrace, for a recall from your government, for a long exile in the heart of Asia, where you will go and share the sad fate of the many unfortunates that you have sent thither.” All these terrible thoughts were clashing against each other in the brain of the unhappy man. If he had been able to see, at least, Najeska Ivanowna!— to learn from her lips that she would once more pardon this infamous brutality! Oh! never, never Gomicbooks. co m