Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

202 HER ROYAL LOVER. his dishonor. A German proverb says, “He who digs a pit for another often falls into it him- self.” Was not this the case with the young man? He had sent that anonymous letter with the expec- tation of succeeding in awakening the jealousy of the ambassador against the king, and to also pre- vent Najeska Ivanowna continuing with the latter, what he termed her “infernal coquetries.” And what had it led to? First, to a divorce, which was completely delivering her with whom he was so des- perately enamored, to the king, a much more for- midable rival than the terrible ambassador; sec- ondly, his everlasting disgrace, an indelible stain with which his forehead would remain forever branded. Although no one had been able to suspect that the king was going to marry Madame de Mineleko—Hei- ligenthal no more than others—although Najeska Ivanowna had lived in the most reserved and re- tired manner during the time of the divorce suit, a dull rumor commenced to fly about the city. It was said very privately, very secretly, that the king was more desperately in love than ever with the young and charming princess. For Waldemar, who had nothing noble in his na- ture but the parchments of his ancestors, another cause, more serious for him perhaps than the re- morse of his infamous conduct, was contributing no little to continue the disquietude with which his heart was rent. Like all of us, Heiligenthal clung to life; whatever may be the object which we pro- pose to ourselves, whatever may be the road which we may trace for ourselves in it, to live is to live, _ the skeptics say, and the young count was of their opinion. But before Bolski had, in open court, sur- m Gomicbooks, co