Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 249: what you’re looking at

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

HER ROYAL LOVER, 241 CHAPTER XXXIV. THE EMPRESS’ RAGE. The grand banquet is at its height. On all sides the corks of champagne bottles are popping, whose sharp crackling noise closely resembles sky-rockets; heads grow excited, tongues unloose themselves. It is the solemn moment of toasts; they are upon all subjects and persons: the most brilliant, and the best delivered, are the least sincere. Each party is represented in his turn. | Meanwhile, in the palace, the crush of guests be- comes immense; since six o’clock, the carriages arriving one after the other, form in line before the royal chateau and discharge their people in the grand gala portico. Allthe king’s servants are in state livery. Some halberdiers, grenadiers, cuirassiers of the guard, and some body guards, stand erect and immovable with drawn swords at each side of the large doors. The whole palace is open for the festivity. At the side of the royal banquet-table destined only for the official and intimate guests, large buf- fets have been prepared where, standing, the per- sons of secondary rank come to regale themselves with delicacies. The glassware, iridescent with brilliant colors, sparkles like precious stones of a thousand facets under the blazing lights. Huge covered pieces arise, in the midst of flowers, upon massive silver platers ; it is a display of incredible richness, for the silver- ware at the Court of Thessaly, royal presents or comicbooks.com