’Come, remember how sorry Elizabeth Bennett was when she found she had given way to prejudice.  If I remember right she lay awake many nights.’

’Are you adding insult to injury by insinuating that either of us might bestow upon you——?’

’Oh! certainly not, I merely wish to suggest that a young lady possessing lively talents and “remarkably fine eyes” might yet make great mistakes in her estimate of the masculine character.’

The cripple, who perhaps had never before heard her one beautiful feature praised by masculine lips, was obliged to harden herself.

‘Accomplished wretch!’ she cried, in accents worthy of an irate Pamela.

’Do you suppose it was the last time I was serving my term in gaol that I read our favourite novels?’ he asked.

By this time Morin had passed out of the door to put on his snow-shoes, and Courthope, who had swallowed only as much food as was necessary to keep him from starvation, turned out to repeat the process of putting on his, this time more deftly.

Morin had a toboggan upon which were piled such necessaries as Madge had collected.  They began their march three abreast into the storm.

They went a long way without conversation, and yet Courthope found in this march keen enjoyment.  His heart was absurdly light.  To have performed so considerable a service for Madge, now to be walking beside her on an errand of mercy, was as much joy as the present hour could hold.

It was difficult for him to keep up with the others, yet in doing so there was the pleasure of the athlete in having acquired a new mastery over his muscles; and the fascination of being at home in the snow as a sea-bird is at home in the surf, which is the chief element of delight in all winter sports, was his for the first time.  With the drunken wretch who was almost frozen he felt small sympathy, but he had the sense that all modern men have on such occasions, that he ought to be concerned, which kept him grave.

The other two were not light-hearted.  Morin, dragging the toboggan behind him and walking with his grey head bent forward to the gale, was sullen at being driven in the service of thieves; afraid lest some sinister design was still intended, he cast constant glances of cunning suspicion at Courthope.  As for Madge, she appeared grave and pre-occupied beyond all that was natural to her, suffering, he feared, from the pain of her first disillusionment.  This was a suffering that he was hardly in a position to take seriously, and yet his heart yearned over her.  He thought also that she was pondering over the problem of her next responsibility, and the evidence of this came sooner than he had expected.