and he had to stop to listen.

"Has Mr Farquhar ever spoken to you about it?" Jemima's cheek was
flushed as she asked the question; she wished that she might have
been the person to whom he had first addressed himself.

Mr Bradshaw answered,

"No, not spoken. It has been implied between us for some time. At
least, I have been so aware of his intentions that I have made
several allusions, in the course of business, to it, as a thing that
might take place. He can hardly have misunderstood; he must have seen
that I perceived his design, and approved of it," said Mr Bradshaw,
rather doubtfully; as he remembered how very little, in fact, passed
between him and his partner which could have reference to the
subject, to any but a mind prepared to receive it. Perhaps Mr
Farquhar had not really thought of it; but then again, that would
imply that his own penetration had been mistaken, a thing not
impossible certainly, but quite beyond the range of probability. So
he reassured himself, and (as he thought) his daughter, by saying,

"The whole thing is so suitable--the advantages arising from the
connexion are so obvious; besides which, I am quite aware, from many
little speeches of Mr Farquhar's, that he contemplates marriage at
no very distant time; and he seldom leaves Eccleston, and visits
few families besides our own--certainly, none that can compare with
ours in the advantages you have all received in moral and religious
training." But then Mr Bradshaw was checked in his implied praises of
himself (and only himself could be his martingale when he once set
out on such a career) by a recollection that Jemima must not feel too
secure, as she might become if he dwelt too much on the advantages of
her being her father's daughter. Accordingly, he said: "But you must
be aware, Jemima, that you do very little credit to the education I
have given you, when you make such an impression as you must have
done to-day, before Mr Farquhar could have said what he did of you!"

"What did he say?" asked Jemima, still in the low, husky tone of
suppressed anger.

"Your mother says he remarked to her, 'What a pity it is, that Jemima
cannot maintain her opinions without going into a passion; and what
a pity it is, that her opinions are such as to sanction, rather than
curb, these fits of rudeness and anger!'"

"Did he say that?" said Jemima, in a still lower tone, not
questioning her father, but speaking rather to herself.

"I have no do