Your affectionate brother,
Gabriel
CHAPTER V.
ESTELLA WASHINGTON
My Dear Heinrich:
One morning after breakfast, Max and I were seated in the library, enjoying our matutinal cigars, when, the conversation flagging, I asked Maximilian whether he had noticed the two young ladies who were in the Prince of Cabano's carriage the morning I whipped the driver. He replied that he had not observed them particularly, as he was too much excited and alarmed for my safety to pay especial attention to anything else; but he had seen that there were two young women in the barouche, and his glance had shown him they were both handsome.
"Have you any idea who they were?" I asked after a pause, for I shrank from revealing the interest I took in one of them.
"No," said he, indifferently; "probably a couple of the Prince's mistresses."
The word stung me like an adder; and I half rose from my chair, my face suffused and my eyes indignant.
"Why, what is the matter?" asked Maximilian; "I hope I have said nothing to offend you."
I fell back in my chair, ashamed of the exhibition of feeling into which I had been momentarily betrayed, and replied: