Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 261: what you’re looking at

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

HER ROYAL LOVER. . 958 The chamberlain retired, and the king ran rapidly to find again his dear Najeska Ivanowna. When he imparted the truth to her the princess shuddered. “Who knows if I will ever see thee again!” said she, suddenly, throwing herself, sobbing, on the neck of her royal husband. “Come, child! what hast thou, then, to fear?” He was speaking in a reproachful tone, but tenderly, cajolingly, as a mother would do to her sick infant. “No, I will see thee no more!” said Najeska Ivan- owna, suddenly resuming a despairing tone. “If the empress summons thee at such an hour, it is to undo thee. We women possess the faculty of second- sight, we forebode misfortune! Hark ye!” and she touched her heart, “it is written here—my future is forever destroyed!” She was frightfully calm, but that which she was suffering was plainly visible; the king perceived only too well the thrill which was causing all this adorable body to shiver. He threw himself upon her, kissing her eyes, her mouth, her bosom, agi- tatedly descending, palpitating through the foamy laces which covered the perfection of this body which was his property, his slave. “The empress awaits you, sire!” said Najeska Ivanowna, with an agonized cry. She is going to let you choose between expelling me! or to lose her good-will, her fortune, her friend- ship forever. What are you going to do?” And the sang froid with which she had armed ‘er- self suddenly abandoning her, the ex-ambassadress melted into tears. “Do not forget that I have no one in the world but thee!” said she, with a sorrowful moan. “Could I do it?—could I ever do it?” said the king, av Eomichbooks:.com