ns by receiving all
intelligence and expressing all opinions with a dubious sneer,
accompanied with a half smile, expressive of anything you please but
good-humour. This sets people about thinking what on earth the
censorious young gentleman means, and they speedily arrive at the
conclusion that he means something very deep indeed; for they reason in
this way--'This young gentleman looks so very knowing that he must mean
something, and as I am by no means a dull individual, what a very deep
meaning he must have if I can't find it out!' It is extraordinary how
soon a censorious young gentleman may make a reputation in his own small
circle if he bear this in his mind, and regulate his proceedings
accordingly.

As young ladies are generally--not curious, but laudably desirous to
acquire information, the censorious young gentleman is much talked about
among them, and many surmises are hazarded regarding him. 'I wonder,'
exclaims the eldest Miss Greenwood, laying down her work to turn up the
lamp, 'I wonder whether Mr. Fairfax will ever be married.' 'Bless me,
dear,' cries Miss Marshall, 'what ever made you think of him?' 'Really I
hardly know,' replies Miss Greenwood; 'he is such a very mysterious
person, that I often wonder about him.' 'Well, to tell you the truth,'
replies Miss Marshall, 'and so do I.' Here two other young ladies
profess that they are constantly doing the like, and all present appear
in the same condition except one young lady, who, not scrupling to state
that she considers Mr. Fairfax 'a horror,' draws down all the opposition
of the others, which having been expressed in a great many ejaculatory
passages, such as 'Well, did I ever!'--and 'Lor, Emily, dear!' ma takes
up the subject, and gravely states, that she must say she does not think
Mr. Fairfax by any means a horror, but rather takes him to be a young man
of very great ability; 'and I am quite sure,' adds the worthy lady, 'he
always means a great deal more than he says.'

The door opens at this point of the disclosure, and who of all people
alive walks into the room, but the very Mr. Fairfax, who has been the
subject of conversation! 'Well, it really is curious,' cries ma, 'we
were at that very moment talking about you.' 'You did me great honour,'
replies Mr. Fairfax; 'may I venture to ask what you were saying?' 'Why,
if you must know,' returns the eldest girl, 'we were remarking what a
very mysterious man you are.' 'Ay, ay!' observes Mr