Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

272 HER ROYAL LOVER. this girl who, shivering, was making a multitude of sions of the cross in the presence of this landscape, whose terrible desolation was still increased by the darkness of the night, for in these densely wooded ~ mountains the rays of the moon were hardly able in the shadiest parts to penetrate through the gnarled boles of the trees, whose interlaced branches were still loaded with heavy drops of rain that the least movement shed upon the ground. In a miserable chamber of the inn, destitute of everything, the travelers were obliged to wait until the weary horses were removed and fresh horses harnessed again. “May the Holy Virgin receive our souls!” whis- pered Glascha, approaching her mistress trembling and terrified; “for it appears to me that they are conducting us to Hapes.” Under her wily appearance this girl concealed a vile and black soul that the princess, with her up- right and candid character, would have never been able to divine. Fora “yes” ora “no,” although ex- travagantly paid, she had abandoned her poor mis- tress to the danger of going away alone, in the dark night, intrusted to these sirange coachmen who were continually changing at the different relays, and to an escort of police. Madame de Mineleko, seated upon the only and miserable wooden bench of the tavern, remained plunged in a profound silence. She had refused to touch the poor food, all that this wretched cabin could offer, and that the officer of the detachment had himself prepared for her. The old _ peas- ant, half asleep, was casting amazed and delighted glances upon this lovely white creature, whose fingers loaded with glittering rings was attracting Gomicbooks.¢co mm