ignorant--he at length perceived that she knew full as much of natural
history as he did, and he was surprised that a young lady should know so
much, and should not be conceited. Flora, however, soon sunk many degrees
in his opinion; for, after the cabinet of mineralogy was shut, some of
the company talked of a ball, which was to be given in a few days, and
Flora, with innocent gaiety, said to Forester, "Have you learnt to dance
a Scotch reel since you came to Scotland?" "_I!_" cried Forester with
contempt; "do you think it the height of human perfection to dance a
Scotch reel?--then that fine young laird, Mr. Archibald Mackenzie,
will suit you much better than I shall." And Forester returned to his
arm-chair and his desert island.



THE KEY.


It was unfortunate that Forester retired from company in such abrupt
displeasure at Flora Campbell's question, for had he borne the idea of a
Scotch reel more like a philosopher, he would have heard of something
interesting relative to the intended ball, if any thing relative to a
ball could be interesting to him. It was a charity-ball, for the benefit
of the mistress of the very charity-school[3] to which the little girl
with the bruised hand belonged. "Do you know," said Henry to Forester,
when they returned home, "that I have great hopes we shall be able to get
justice done to the poor children? I hope the tyrannical schoolmistress
may yet be punished. The lady, with whom we drank tea yesterday is one of
the patronesses of the charity-school."

[Footnote 3: There is no charity-school of this description in Edinburgh;