Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 106: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

———— ee ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. the looking-glass, arranging my hair as well as my dress, which had got somewhat disordered by the swoons through which I had passed, as well as by having been carried in and out of the vehicle. But while thus seeming to occupy myself in so natural and unsuspicious @ manner, my thoughts were keenly alive; and I was deliberating upon the course which I should pursue. The looking- glass reflected the wardrobe opposite, as well in- deed as the greater portion of the whole room. I noticed the position of ail the articles of furni- ture; and with my eye I measured the distance between that wardrobe and the wall facing if. It was in this wall that the window was, against the draperies of which the toilet-table stood. My plans were carefully digested; and my mind was made up how to act. Against the wall of which I have just spoken, there was a long ottoman, or sofa without back or sides, covered with a rich crimson velvet, and fur- nished with luxurious cushions. I first proceeded to move this ottoman away from the wall, and to. turn if out in such a manner that one of its ex- tremities rested against the massive marble pe- destal which supported one of the statues that em- bellished the chamber. I did this with every appearance of calmness and tranquillity, and not as if I were in the faintest degree excited. I threw myself upon the ottoman which I had thus dis- placed; and I said in an audible voice, but yet as if speaking only to myself, “Here I can repose, and at the same time watch the door!” While reclining there for a few minutes, I ac- curately measured with my eye the distance be- tween the end of the ottoman and the doors of the wardrobe. The result was satisfactory: but when about to execute the remainder of my plan I dreaded lest St. Clair should fathom my purpose and suddenly burst forth upon me to prevent its accomplishment: for that he was the concealed tenant of the wardrobe, I could have no possible doubt. Summoning all my courage and self: possession to my aid, I rose from the ottoman— again affected to occupy myself for a few moments in front of the looking-glass—and then I ap- proached the sofa which, as before described, was at the foot of the bed. All in an instant I seized upon that sofa: it moved easily upon its castors; and I rolled it rapidly on towards the wardrobe, . —_—_—_—_—_—_— ee 93 which I had resolved to possess myself; for I na- turally felt that whatsoever clue I might obtain to the reading of the dark secrets which wero evi- dently associated with St. Clair, would give me an additional hold over him and serve as defence. works in future against the villanous projects which he was so perseveringly directing against myself. I secured the fragment of the letter about my person; and scarcely had I done this, when the crashing of a pane of glass in the door of the wardrobe smote my ears. “llen, you have vanquished me!” said the voice of St. Clair, in a tone expressive of the ut- most mortification. “For heaven’s sake release me from this dreadful position !” *T will not waste time,” I answered with cold disdain, “by reproaching you for this renewed vil- lany towards me; because every phase of your conduct proves that mere upbraidings are lost upon you. Butmy mind is made up how to act. Towards me you harboured the most infamous of purposes: and you can expect no mercy at my hands. For me to liberate you, would be an act of as complete madness as if I had ere now opened the door of that cage at the theatre, and with my own hand suffered the wild beasts to escape!” “I swear to you,” answered St. Clair, on whose countenance the light fell as he drew aside the pink curtain of the wardrobe, “that you suspect me of a crime of which I am not capable! You were safe from actual outrage on my part. As there is a heaven above us, I love you too well, Ellen—too madly—too devotedly to consummate such an iniquity! But I had resolved that you should be mine; and methoucht that after it were Known to all the domestics of my household that we had passed hours together in the same cham- ber, you would no longer refuse to give me your hand. Believe me that thisis the truth! It is your unkindness towards me that has rendered my imagination so fertile in expedients to possess you!” **A man who is capable of such deep dark vil- lany as you have practised towards me,” I an- swered, “is capable of any other atrocity; and you cannot be surprised that I put not the slight- est faith in the assurances you are now giving me. Think you for a moment that I could ever accept as a husband a man who would have won me by such means? Not won me!—for it would have against the doors of which it came in strong con-| been by the vilest coercion and the most dastard cussion ; and quick as lightning I tossed down a/| intimidation that you would have compelled me to chair in the interval which remained to be filled | give you my hand! Wide enough, Captain St. up between the other extremity of the sofa and | Clair, was the gulf already between us: but wider EE the nearest end of the ottoman. reader will understand, a line was formed by these | dered by this crowning infamy of your’s. three articles of furniture between the doors of | Thus, as the | than ever, if possible, has it to-night been ren- Now listen to me! I am about to seek my freedom. the wardrobe and the pedestal standing against | That I shall find the outer door locked, I have not the wall on the opposite side. It was a barricade that effectually prevented the opening of those doors; and St. Clair was a prisoner. An ejacula- tion of triumph burst from my lips; for I knew that for him to push the doors open was impos- sible; and the construction of the upper portion in which the glass panes were set, was too massive a doubt: but for this emergency I was prepared. You will see how desperate and how invincible is my courage! Unless you yourself can by some means tell me how to ensure a safe egress from this house, I will at once set fire to the draperies of the bed and the windows—the terrific alarm ' will ring through the house—the door of the ante- and solid for him to break through it, especially as | room will be opened to me—and I shall escape! he was, “cribb’d, cabin’d, and confin’d”’ in go nar- row & space. I immediately hastened to the toilet-table. I opened the drawer; and there, sure enough, I found the fragment of the mysterious letter of But whether any of your domestics will have the courage to penetrate into this chamber when blazing in conflagration—whether, in a word, they will thus come to search for you—is a point which I dare not pause to take into consideration.” ee —— -_— - - - -—— + ee eee EL CLO, LL A CORNIECLAC <S) Com