"Very well; provide for her too, since such is your fancy. Take her; you are welcome to her."
And thus it was decided; and in less than a quarter of an hour we had not only left Thornton House, but the surly porter at the lodge had closed his iron gates upon us, and we were on our way to Ryde, whence Cornelius wished to proceed to London, straight on, that same evening.
After walking on for awhile in utter silence, Cornelius said to me—
"Are you tired. Margaret?"
"Oh no!" I answered eagerly.
Indeed the question seemed to take away my sense of fatigue. For some time, the fear of being left behind lent me fictitious strength; but at length my sore and weary feet could carry me no further; in the wildest and most desolate part of the road I was obliged to stop short.
"What is the matter?" asked Cornelius.
"I can't go on," I replied, despondingly.
"Can't you, indeed?"
"No," I said, sitting down on a milestone, and feeling ready to cry, "I can't at all."