When he had somewhat abruptly left the room, Margaret rose from her seat, and began silently to fold up her work; The long seams were heavy, and had an unusual weight for her languid arms.  The round lines in her face took a lengthened, straighter form, and her whole appearance was that of one who had gone through a day of great fatigue.  As the three prepared for bed, Mr. Bell muttered forth a little condemnation of Mr. Thornton.

’I never saw a fellow so spoiled by success.  He can’t bear a word; a jest of any kind.  Everything seems to touch on the soreness of his high dignity.  Formerly, he was as simple and noble as the open day; you could not offend him, because he had no vanity.’

‘He is not vain now,’ said Margaret, turning round from the table, and speaking with quiet distinctness.  ’To-night he has not been like himself Something must have annoyed him before he came here.’

Mr. Bell gave her one of his sharp glances from above his spectacles.  She stood it quite calmly; but, after she had left the room, he suddenly asked,—­

’Hale! did it ever strike you that Thornton and your daughter have what the French call a tendresse for each other?’

‘Never!’ said Mr. Hale, first startled and then flurried by the new idea.  ’No, I am sure you are wrong.  I am almost certain you are mistaken.  If there is anything, it is all on Mr. Thornton’s side.  Poor fellow!  I hope and trust he is not thinking of her, for I am sure she would not have him.’

’Well!  I’m a bachelor, and have steered clear of love affairs all my life; so perhaps my opinion is not worth having.  Or else I should say there were very pretty symptoms about her!’

‘Then I am sure you are wrong,’ said Mr. Hale.  ’He may care for her, though she really has been almost rude to him at times.  But she!—­why, Margaret would never think of him, I’m sure!  Such a thing has never entered her head.’

’Entering her heart would do.  But I merely threw out a suggestion of what might be.  I dare say I was wrong.  And whether I was wrong or right, I’m very sleepy; so, having disturbed your night’s rest (as I can see) with my untimely fancies, I’ll betake myself with an easy mind to my own.’

But Mr. Hale resolved that he would not be disturbed by any such nonsensical idea; so he lay awake, determining not to think about it.

Mr. Bell took his leave the next day, bidding Margaret look to him as one who had a right to help and protect her in all her troubles, of whatever nature they might be.  To Mr. Hale he said,—­

’That Margaret of yours has gone deep into my heart.  Take care of her, for she is a very precious creature,—­a great deal too good for Milton,—­only fit for Oxford, in fact.  The town, I mean; not the men.  I can’t match her yet.  When I can, I shall bring my young man to stand side by side with your young woman, just as the genie in the Arabian Nights brought Prince Caralmazan to match with the fairy’s Princess Badoura.’