But it was no smiling matter to Margaret. She hardly attended to what Mr. Bell was saying. Her thoughts ran upon the idea, before entertained, but which now had assumed the strength of a conviction, that Mr. Thornton no longer held his former good opinion of her--that he was disappointed in her. She did not feel as if any explanation could ever reinstate her--not in his love, for that and any return on her part she had resolved never to dwell upon, and she kept rigidly to her resolution--but in the respect and high regard which she had hoped would have ever made him willing, in the spirit of Gerald Griffin's beautiful lines,
"To turn and look back when thou hearest The sound of my name."

But it was no smiling matter to Margaret. Her thoughts ran upon her conviction that Mr. Thornton was disappointed in her. She did not feel as if any explanation could ever reinstate her - not in his love, for she had resolved never to dwell upon that, and she kept rigidly to her resolution - but in his respect and high regard.
