or a family
breakfast, to be succeeded by the agreeable surprise to Philip of
informing him he was at home, were finally completed. One or two very
intimate friends were added to the party, and the invitations (from the
elder Ballister) proposed simply a _dejeuner sur l'herbe_ in the
grounds of an unoccupied villa, the property of an acquaintance.

With the subsiding of the excitement of return, the early associations
which had temporarily confused and colored the feelings of Philip
Ballister settled gradually away, leaving uppermost once more the
fastidious refinement of the Parisian. Through this medium, thin and
cold, the bubbles from the breathing of the heart of youth, rose rarely
and reluctantly. The Ballisters held a good station in society, without
caring for much beyond the easy conveniences of life, and Fanny, though
capable of any degree of elegance, had not seen the expediency of
raising the tone of her manners above that of her immediate friends.
Without being positively distasteful to Philip, the family circle,
Fanny included, left him much to desire in the way of society, and,
unwilling to abate the warmth of his attentions while with them, he had
latterly pleaded occupation more frequently, and passed his time in the
more congenial company of his library of art. This was the less noticed
that it gave Miss Bellairs the opportunity to make frequent visits to
the workmen at Revedere, and, in the polished devotion of her betrothed
when with her, Fanny saw nothing reflected but her own daily increasing
tenderness and admiration.

The morning of _fete_ came in like the air in an overture--a harmony of
all the instruments of summer. The party were at the gate of Revedere
by ten, and the drive through the avenue to the lawn drew a burst of
delighted admiration from all. The place was exquisite, and seen in its
glory, and Fanny's heart was brimming with gratified pride and
exultation. She assumed at once the dispensation of the honors, and
beautiful she looked with her snowy dress and raven ringlets flitting
across the lawn, and queening it like Perdita among the flowers. Having
narrowly escaped bursting into tears of joy when Philip pronounced the
place prettier than anything he had seen in his travels, she was, for
the rest of the day, calmly happy; and, with the grateful shade, the
delicious breakfast in the grove, the rambling and boating on the
river, the hours passed off like dreams, and no one even hinted