I believe, really for the sake of
improvement, instead of enjoying all the fun he might have had; he
stored his brain with all sorts of knowledge, collecting material and
stealing legends to write a book. I went with him part of the way, but
became so tired of my companion, that I turned recreant and fled, to
enjoy a more spirited excursion of my own. I tell him, whenever I want a
lecture on all subjects, I shall come to him. I call him the Walking
Cyclopaedia, and only fancy such a personage dancing a quadrille. What
lady can have the courage to turn over the leaves of the Cyclopaedia in
a quadrille? let me see. Oh, Lady Lucy Melville, our noble hostess's
daughter. She pretends to be a bit of a blue, therefore they are not so
ill-matched as I imagined; however, she is not very bad--not a deep
blue, only just tinged with celestial azure. Sweet creature, how you
will be edified before your lesson is over. Look, Miss Hamilton, on the
other side of the Cyclopaedia. That good lady has been the last seven
years dancing with all her might and main for a husband. There is
another, striving, by an air of elegant hauteur, to prove she is
something very great, when really she is nothing at all. There's a girl
just introduced, as our noble poet says."

"Take care, take care, Lord Henry; you are treading on dangerous
ground," exclaimed Caroline, unable to prevent laughing at the comic
manner in which her companion criticised the dancers. "You forget that I
too have only just been released, and that this is only my first glimpse
of the world."

"You do me injustice, Miss Hamilton. I am too delightfully and
refreshingly reminded of that truth to forget it for one instant. You
may have only just made your _debut_, but you have not been schooled and
scolded, and frightened into propriety as that unfortunate girl has. If
she has smiled once too naturally, spoken one word too much, made one
step wrong, or said sir, my lord, your lordship, once too often, she
will have such a lecture to-morrow, she will never wish to go to a ball
again."

"Poor girl!" said Caroline, in a tone of genuine pity, which caused a
smile from her partner.

"She is not worthy of your pity, Miss Hamilton; she is hardened to it
all. What a set we are dancing with, men and women, all heartless alike;
but I want to know what magic wand has touched St. Eval. I do believe it
must be your eyes, Miss Hamilton. He talks to his partner, and looks at
you; tries to do t