Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 201: what you’re looking at

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HER ROYAL LOVER. 193 he had ridiculed thcse romantic ideas, then, which had traversed that pretty fantastic head, completely filled with the marvelous! He, in his turn, felt him- self attracted toward these beauties which he scarcely comprehended. Ah! if it was given him to live the past over again! if he had known how to moderate his gloomy and jealous character, he would not find himself in this terrible labyrinth! Suddenly he thinks of the letter received and yet unopened; he must, however, resolve to break the seal. Reluctantly he leaves the window, and goes sadly to seat himself near the table, on which a lamp is burning which Vassili has just placed there. “Does his highness still want me?” asks the faith- ful servant. “You may retire; I will rng when your presence will be necessary.” Vassili bows profoundly, and Mineleko then opens the letter. Presently, a terrible imprecation is heard. The prince stands tottering, with the letter in his hand; looking around him his immoderately dilated pupils perceive nothing—nothing but the terrifying news which he doubts still. The message apprehended was the princess’ de- mand for a divorce, very clearly drawn up by her advocate; “this demand,” the lawyer added, “has been already sent to the ministry.” For more than an hour, with that stupid look which embraces all and sees nothing, the ambassa- dor remains nailed there, annihilated in his easy- chair. One thought alone survives the catastrophe which overwhelms him. “Ah! it was for this, then, that the king had dis- missed him! It was to more effectually delude the Ecomichbooks.com