How deeply she repented of her blindness; how bitterly she recalled the frequent morning walks, the sketching, the sailing parties; from which, indeed, she could hardly have excluded Mr. Haveloc, all things considered; but from which she might have contrived to omit Aveline. She gazed down the rough pathway from which Mr. Lindsay had long vanished, and again repeated to herself, "Keep her mind quiet!" CHAPTER IV. They ben so well thewed and so wise Whatever that good old man bespake. SPENSER. Might'st thou perceive austerely in his eye That he did plead in earnest, yea or no? Look'd he, or red, or pale, or sad, or merrily? What observation mad'st thou in this case. SHAKESPEARE. Nothing more endeared Margaret to her uncle, than the manner in which she took Mr. Haveloc's departure. A little more grave, a little more silent than usual, she seemed only solicitous that Mr. Grey should not miss his companionship more than could be helped. She had not an instant's fear that his affection would undergo any change; her regrets at parting with him were unmixed with doubt for the future; they were simply those of separating for so long from a person whom she loved. One evening, when she was leaning upon Mr. Grey's arm-chair, placed as usual at the window, with the moonlight streaming over the grounds, much as when she had taken her last walk upon the terrace with Mr. Haveloc, her uncle seemed to think he might touch upon the subject without exciting her feelings too painfully. "You are thinking of Claude, my love," said he taking her hand which rested on the back of his chair, and drawing it down over his shoulder. "Yes uncle," said Margaret. "Very natural," returned Mr. Grey. "I dare say he is thinking of you." "I think he is," replied Margaret quietly. "He agreed not to write to you, you know, my dear," said her uncle; "but I promised him one thing which might look like an infringement of our compact. If my health should become materially worse, a letter directed to Tynebrook will be forwarded to him, wherever he may be, and he will come to us immediately; so that if I should be too ill to write, Margaret, you will know what to do. It is right if you are deprived of one protector, that I should procure you another." "Oh! uncle, if you would not talk--if you would not imagine such things," said Margaret, melting into tears.