I think I have already spoken of our compound, which is full of graves. These graves are very inconveniently situated for a gentleman’s pleasure-grounds; or perhaps it would be more correct to say that the gentleman’s pleasure-grounds are inconveniently situated for the graves, which stretch up to the very windows of the house, and by their inequality greatly impede the facility of a stroll. We stumbled over them, and made circuits round about them, for some time in silence, until both that and the exercise seemed to become oppressive; and by mutual consent, as it were, we sat down together on a broad flat stone which covers one of them; and for a few moments neither of us spoke. Then I stole a glance at Margaret’s face, and saw that it was still clouded and downcast; and I felt a strange longing to see it brighten up again and smile upon me. ‘I am sorry you should have been witness to so painful and disgraceful a scene, Miss Anstruther,’ I ventured to remark. ‘I am sorry you should have been witness to so painful and disgraceful a scene, Captain Norton,’ she echoed gloomily. ‘Mine was the worst exhibition of the two: I see it now plainly. Oh, what a wretch you must think me! What an undisciplined, passionate, unwomanly creature!’ and up went her hands as shelter to her burning face. ‘Please don’t call yourself names; I can’t subscribe to them. I think you only what you are—a generous, warm-hearted girl, indignant at the sight of wrong, only inclined to be a little too hot and hasty in expressing your indignation. Never be afraid of falling in my good opinion by showing your true nature, Margaret.’ ‘But my nature is so bad, Captain Norton; you cannot think how bad it is. My temper is so violent; and when it rises, I remember nothing else, except that I am angry and must show it.’ ‘If you never display it in a worse cause, Margaret, than you did this afternoon, you cannot go far wrong. It was a disgraceful and disgusting act of cruelty.’ ‘Oh, was it not cruel,’ she eagerly exclaimed, ‘to torture one so utterly defenceless and unarmed? I could look on at men, or dogs, or any creatures of equal power, fighting with each other, and applaud the victor; but when it comes to one against such fearful odds, one innocent creature suffering because of its innocence, I cannot bear it. Many such sights would kill me; I think that I should burst with rage.’ ‘And yet in this world, Margaret, it is usually the defenceless and the innocent who suffer.’ ‘We who are strong should shield them,’ she answered, hastily.