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.