Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

166 HER ROYAL LOVER. Mineleko, simulating great attention, affected to read very slowly, but in reality he was endeavor- ing to give himself time to reflect. Those flower- girls really said, “a man resembling Monsieur de Mineleko;” but, after all, they did not affirm in a positive manner, that it was he. What should he do? Ought he to deny it? or to cunfess all to the king? Thinking of the terrible consequences that fora man of his eminent position such a confession might have, he adopted the first resolution. With a violent effort over himself, Mineleko, raising his eyes to the king, said: “That is strange! What man here can resemble me to that extent?” A very significant smile wandered over his majes- _ ty’s lips; this movement did not escape the ambas- sador. “We will have to seek for this man!” cried Min- eleko, whose anger, with great difficulty allayed, flashed like lightning on seeing the mocking air of the king. “That is what they have done, Monsieur le Am- bassadeur. But, it is my painful duty, I acknowl- edge it to you, to warn you, that during the first days which will follow this incident, and in spite of your innocence, (his majesty emphasized these last words), your sojourn here might occasion you great unpleasantness which, perhaps, might not be with- out leading to strained relations between the two powers of Caucasus and Thessaly, if indignation, misled, should create for you here painful difficul- ties. These difficulties are the more probable as the mysterious assassination committed at your em- bassy, and of which they have not been able to find the author, has already excited a good many m GEomicbooks,.,.co