Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 233: what you’re looking at

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

— HER ROYAL LOVER. 225 CHAPTER XXXII. THE PRIVATE MARRIAGE. The ceremony is about to commence. The king and Madame de Mineleko, both of them very pale, and much agitated, butin a totally different man- ner, are standing before the altar. A Lutheran clergyman, enveloped in his long black silk surplice, has commenced the prayers; the chants of the sacred rite which are all singing, all music, in a word all that which may penetrate without, has been carefully excluded; they conceal, they sup- press. Since morning, all is ready for the feze of the evening. The high lancet windows, draped with ornamentations more luxurious than tasty, allow the daylight to penetrate with great difficulty which, thus filtered, diffuses in the chapel asomber and lugubrious aspect which is exceedingly impressive. Where then is that joy, that delight which gen- erally accompanies all marriages arranged by love? The heat becomes more and more excessive, how- ever, the atmosphere burns; they inhale fire. Sud- denly, as the minister of the Lord is about to unite forever this husband and wife, a chain of lightning starts from the east and comes in long zigzag to rent the clouds and traverses through, if we may so express it, the large window above the altar. Najeska Ivanowna, very much impressed by the storm which is unchained with so much fury, and affected also by a nervous trembling stronger than her will, violently withdraws her hand from that of the king. Presently, however, a wan, sad smile, comicbooks.com