I got it this morning; it says your sister has a lover." The letter ran to this tune: a friend who had observed the commandant's frequent visits at Beaurepaire wrote to warn him against traps.

Both the young ladies of Beaurepaire were doubtless at the new proprietor's service to pick and choose from.

But for all that each of them had a lover, and though these lovers had their orders to keep out of the way till monsieur should be hooked, he might be sure that if he married either, the man of her heart would come on the scene soon after, perhaps be present at the wedding.
In short, it was one of those poisoned arrows a coarse vindictive coward can shoot.
It was the first anonymous letter Rose had ever seen.

It almost drove her mad on the spot.

Raynal was sorry he had let her see it.
She turned red and white by turns, and gasped for breath.
"Why am I not a man ?--why don't I wear a sword?
I would pass it through this caitiff's heart.