sketches of young gentlemen-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



three　weeks　afterwards；　in　hopes　that　he　might　see　the　scoundrel；

whereupon　Mrs。　Nixon；　with　an　exclamation　of　terror；　requests　to

know　what　he　would　have　done　to　him　if　he　HAD　seen　him；　at　which

Felix　smiling　darkly　and　clenching　his　right　fist；　she　exclaims；

'Goodness　gracious！'　with　a　distracted　air；　and　insists　upon

extorting　a　promise　that　he　never　will　on　any　account　do　anything

so　rash；　which　her　dutiful　son　…　it　being　something　more　than　three

years　since　the　offence　was　committed　…　reluctantly　concedes；　and

his　mother；　shaking　her　head　prophetically；　fears　with　a　sigh　that

his　spirit　will　lead　him　into　something　violent　yet。　　The　discourse

then；　by　an　easy　transition；　turns　upon　the　spirit　which　glows

within　the　bosom　of　Felix；　upon　which　point　Felix　himself　becomes

eloquent；　and　relates　a　thrilling　anecdote　of　the　time　when　he　used

to　sit　up　till　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　reading　French；　and　how

his　mother　used　to　say；　'Felix；　you　will　make　yourself　ill；　I　know

you　will；'　and　how　HE　used　to　say；　'Mother；　I　don't　care　…　I　will

do　it；'　and　how　at　last　his　mother　privately　procured　a　doctor　to

come　and　see　him；　who　declared；　the　moment　he　felt　his　pulse；　that

if　he　had　gone　on　reading　one　night　more　…　only　one　night　more　…　he

must　have　put　a　blister　on　each　temple；　and　another　between　his

shoulders；　and　who；　as　it　was；　sat　down　upon　the　instant；　and

writing　a　prescription　for　a　blue　pill；　said　it　must　be　taken

immediately；　or　he　wouldn't　answer　for　the　consequences。　　The

recital　of　these　and　many　other　moving　perils　of　the　like　nature；

constantly　harrows　up　the　feelings　of　Mr。　Nixon's　friends。



Mrs。　Nixon　has　a　tolerably　extensive　circle　of　female　acquaintance；

being　a　good…humoured；　talkative；　bustling　little　body；　and　to　the

unmarried　girls　among　them　she　is　constantly　vaunting　the　virtues

of　her　son；　hinting　that　she　will　be　a　very　happy　person　who　wins

him；　but　that　they　must　mind　their　P's　and　Q's；　for　he　is　very

particular；　and　terribly　severe　upon　young　ladies。　　At　this　last

caution　the　young　ladies　resident　in　the　same　row；　who　happen　to　be

spending　the　evening　there；　put　their　pocket…handkerchiefs　before

their　mouths；　and　are　troubled　with　a　short　cough；　just　then　Felix

knocks　at　the　door；　and　his　mother　drawing　the　tea…table　nearer　the

fire；　calls　out　to　him　as　he　takes　off　his　boots　in　the　back

parlour　that　he　needn't　mind　coming　in　in　his　slippers；　for　there

are　only　the　two　Miss　Greys　and　Miss　Thompson；　and　she　is　quite

sure　they　will　excuse　HIM；　and　nodding　to　the　two　Miss　Greys；　she

adds；　in　a　whisper；　that　Julia　Thompson　is　a　great　favourite　with

Felix；　at　which　intelligence　the　short　cough　comes　again；　and　Miss

Thompson　in　particular　is　greatly　troubled　with　it；　till　Felix

coming　in；　very　faint　for　want　of　his　tea；　changes　the　subject　of

discourse；　and　enables　her　to　laugh　out　boldly　and　tell　Amelia　Grey

not　to　be　so　foolish。　　Here　they　all　three　laugh；　and　Mrs。　Nixon

says　they　are　giddy　girls；　in　which　stage　of　the　proceedings；

Felix；　who　has　by　this　time　refreshened　himself　with　the　grateful

herb　that　'cheers　but　not　inebriates；'　removes　his　cup　from　his

countenance　and　says　with　a　knowing　smile；　that　all　girls　are；

whereat　his　admiring　mamma　pats　him　on　the　back　and　tells　him　not

to　be　sly；　which　calls　forth　a　general　laugh　from　the　young　ladies；

and　another　smile　from　Felix；　who；　thinking　he　looks　very　sly

indeed；　is　perfectly　satisfied。



Tea　being　over；　the　young　ladies　resume　their　work；　and　Felix

insists　upon　holding　a　skein　of　silk　while　Miss　Thompson　winds　it

on　a　card。　　This　process　having　been　performed　to　the　satisfaction

of　all　parties；　he　brings　down　his　flute　in　compliance　with　a

request　from　the　youngest　Miss　Grey；　and　plays　divers　tunes　out　of

a　very　small　music…book　till　supper…time；　when　he　is　very　facetious

and　talkative　indeed。　　Finally；　after　half　a　tumblerful　of　warm

sherry　and　water；　he　gallantly　puts　on　his　goloshes　over　his

slippers；　and　telling　Miss　Thompson's　servant　to　run　on　first　and

get　the　door　open；　escorts　that　young　lady　to　her　house；　five　doors

off：　　the　Miss　Greys　who　live　in　the　next　house　but　one　stopping　to

peep　with　merry　faces　from　their　own　door　till　he　comes　back　again；

when　they　call　out　'Very　well；　Mr。　Felix；'　and　trip　into　the

passage　with　a　laugh　more　musical　than　any　flute　that　was　ever

played。



Felix　is　rather　prim　in　his　appearance；　and　perhaps　a　little

priggish　about　his　books　and　flute；　and　so　forth；　which　have　all

their　peculiar　corners　of　peculiar　shelves　in　his　bedroom；　indeed

all　his　female　acquaintance　（and　they　are　good　judges）　have　long

ago　set　him　down　as　a　thorough　old　bachelor。　　He　is　a　favourite

with　them　however；　in　a　certain　way；　as　an　honest；　inoffensive；

kind…hearted　creature；　and　as　his　peculiarities　harm　nobody；　not

even　himself；　we　are　induced　to　hope　that　many　who　are　not

personally　acquainted　with　him　will　take　our　good　word　in　his

behalf；　and　be　content　to　leave　him　to　a　long　continuance　of　his

harmless　existence。







THE　CENSORIOUS　YOUNG　GENTLEMAN







There　is　an　amiable　kind　of　young　gentleman　going　about　in　society；

upon　whom；　after　much　experience　of　him；　and　considerable　turning

over　of　the　subject　in　our　mind；　we　feel　it　our　duty　to　affix　the

above　appellation。　　Young　ladies　mildly　call　him　a　'sarcastic'

young　gentleman；　or　a　'severe'　young　gentleman。　　We；　who　know

better；　beg　to　acquaint　them　with　the　fact；　that　he　is　merely　a

censorious　young　gentleman；　and　nothing　else。



The　censorious　young　gentleman　has　the　reputation　among　his

familiars　of　a　remarkably　clever　person；　which　he　maintains　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。　Fairfax；　'Indeed！'　　Now　Mr。　Fairfax　says　this　ay；

ay；　and　indeed；　which　are　slight　words　enough　in　themselves；　with

so　very　unfathomable　an　air；　and　accompanies　them　with　such　a　very

equivocal　smile；　that　ma　and　the　young　ladies　are　more　than　ever

convinced　that　he　means　an　immensity；　and　so　tell　him　he　is　a　very

dangerous　man；　and　seems　to　be　always　thinking　ill　of　somebody；

which　is　precisely　the　sort　of　character　the　censorious　young

gentleman　is　most　desirous　to　establish；　wherefore　he　says；　'Oh；

dear；　no；'　in　a　tone；　obviously　intended　to　mean；　'You　have　me

there；'　and　which　gives　them　to　understand　that　they　have　hit　the

right　nail　on　the　very　centre　of　its　head。



When　the　conversation　ranges　from　the　mystery　overhanging　the

censorious　young　gentleman's　behaviour；　to　the　general　topics　of

the　day；　he　sustains　his　character　to　admiration。　　He　considers　the

new　tragedy　well　enough　for　a　new　tragedy；　but　Lord　bless　us　…

well；　no　matter；　he　could　say　a　great　deal　on　that　point；　but　he

would　rather　not；　lest　he　should　be　thought　ill…natured；　as　he

knows　he　would　be。　　'But　is　not　Mr。　So…and…so's　performance　truly

charming？'　inquires　a　young　lady。　　'Charming！'　replies　the

censorious　young　gentleman。　　'Oh；　dear；　yes；　certainly；　very

charming　…　oh；　very　charming　indeed。'　　After　this；　he　stirs　the

fire；　smiling　contemptuously　all　the　while：　　and　a　modest　young

gentleman；　who　has　been　a　silent　listener；　thinks　what　a　great

thing　it　must　be；　to　have　such　a　critical　judgment。　　Of　music；

pictures；　books；　and　poetry；　the　censorious　young　gentleman　has　an

equally　fine　conception。　　As　to　men　and　women；　he　can　tell　all

about　them　at　a　glance。　　'Now　let　us　hear　your　opinion　of　young

Mrs。　Barker；'　says　some　great　believer　in　the　powers　of　Mr。

Fairfax；　'bu