"What can he mean?" thought Margaret,--"what could he mean by speaking so, as if I were always thinking that he cared for me, when I know he does not; he cannot. His mother will have said all those cruel things about me to him. But I won't care for him. I surely am mistress enough of myself to control this wild, strange, miserable feeling, which tempted me even to betray my own dear Frederick, so that I might but regain his good opinion--the good opinion of a man who takes such pains to tell me that I am nothing to him. Come! poor little heart! be cheery and brave. We'll be a great deal to one another, if we are thrown off and left desolate."

'What can he mean?' thought Margaret, 'what could he mean by speaking so, when I know he does not care for me; he cannot. His mother will have said cruel things about me to him. But I won't care for him. I surely am mistress enough of myself to control this wild, strange, miserable feeling, which tempted me even to betray my own dear Frederick, so that I might regain his good opinion - the good opinion of a man who takes such pains to tell me that I am nothing to him. Come, poor little heart! be cheery and brave.'
