his weakness, Lord
Ballindine was not of an unforgiving temperament: he was too happy to
be angry with any one, now. He forgave even Lord Cashel; and, had he
seen Lord Kilcullen, he would have been willing to give him his hand
as to a brother.

Frank spent two or three delightful weeks, basking in the sunshine
of Fanny's love, and Lord Cashel's favour. Nothing could be more
obsequiously civil than the earl's demeanour, now that the matter was
decided. Every thing was to be done just as Lord Ballindine liked;
his taste was to be consulted in every thing; the earl even proposed
different visits to the Curragh; asked after the whereabouts of Fin
M'Coul and Brien Boru; and condescended pleasantly to inquire whether
Dot Blake was prospering as usual with his favourite amusement.

At length, the day was fixed for the marriage. It was to be in the
pleasant, sweet-smelling, grateful month of May,--the end of May; and
Lord and Lady Ballindine were then to start for a summer tour, as the
countess had proposed, to see the Rhine, and Switzerland, and Rome, and
those sort of places. And now, invitations were sent, far and wide,
to relatives and friends. Lord Cashel had determined that the wedding
should be a great concern. The ruin of his son was to be forgotten in
the marriage of his niece. The bishop of Maryborough was to come and
marry them; the Ellisons were to come again, and the Fitzgeralds: a
Duchess was secured, though duchesses are scarce in Ireland; and great
exertions were made to get at a royal Prince, who was commanding the
forces in the west. But the royal Prince did not see why he should
put himself to so much trouble, and he therefore sent to say that he
was very sorry, but the peculiar features of the time made it quite
impossible for him to leave his command, even on so great a temptation;
and a paragraph consequently found its way into the papers, very
laudatory of his Royal Highness's military energy and attention. Mrs
O'Kelly and her daughters received a very warm invitation, which they
were delighted to accept. Sophy and Augusta were in the seventh heaven
of happiness, for they were to form a portion of the fair bevy of
bridesmaids appointed to attend Fanny Wyndham to the altar. Frank
rather pished and poohed at all these preparations of grandeur; he felt
that when the ceremony took place he would look like the ornamental
calf in the middle of it; but, on the whole, he bore his martyrdom
patiently. Four span