Her Royal Lover: A Novel — page 301: what you’re looking at

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

HER ROYAL LOVER. 293 him? Had they sent for him to speak to him at last about the title of nobility so much desired? “My friend, thou must hasten, for the king ex- pects thee at four o’clock precisely, at a private au- dience.” Monsieur Haller, instead of appearing astonished, only said, smiling: “Ah! the king has sent for me?” “Why this enigmatical smile?” “But what then? Tell me, then.” “Oh, nothing!—nothing,” said Monsieur Haller, reticently, hastily seating himself at the table. Madame Haller always dismissed the domestic during this luncheon. All being prepared upon the table, she preferred to serve her husband with her own chubby, plump hands; alone with him, they could converse more freely. This day, very much puzzled, she was determined to do everything in order to learn what the president could be conceal- ing from her. “Come! tell me all that thou thinkest. Thou knowest that I am discreet?” said she, while like a practical woman she put upon Monsieur Haller’s plate one of the morsels that he preferred. Know- ing that after all, the secret, which he desired to keep, would soon be known to everybody, Monsieur Haller related to his wife the protest that Monsieur Klug had entered in the name of Madame de Mine- leko. Madame Haller made such a gesture of stupefac- tion and astonishment that she almost upset her chair. “What dost thou tell me, my friend? But all this does not explain why the king wishes to speak this very day to thee. Thou art not an advocate.” Eomicboo “SiG