Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 107: what you’re looking at

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94 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. ‘ But all this is horrible, Ellen!” exclaimed St. Clair: and the feeling which prompted the words was expressed upon his convulsing features as the licht fell upon his countenance. “TI know it is horrible,” I responded: “but it is the only alternative é “ Good God!” he cried, in mingled terror and anguish, “my servants know not that LT am here !” “ They know not that you are here?” I ejacu- lated: and then thinking that the outer door - might be unlocked after all, I flew to ascertain. St. Clair called after me in accents of the most imploring entreaty: but I heeded him not. I opened the door of the bed-chamber: I sped into the ante-room—TI tried the outer door which opened upon the landing ; but I found it fastened. What did St. Clair mean? His servants knew not that he was in the chamber; and yet he had intended to remain the whole night there, in order that this fact might be known to them in the morning, and that it might serve as a means of compelling me to give him my hand? I could not understand it ; and I therefore felt persuaded—as I indeed all along suspected—that he had been deceiving me by those representations. I returned into the bed- chamber ; and I said coldly, “ The outer door is locked.” “ For heaven’s sake grant me your patience for a few minutes !”’ he exclaimed; “and I will con- vince you that I have spoken nothing but the truth. My object was to reduce you to that posi- tion in which, to save your own reputation, you would be compelled to accept me as your husband. On arriving at the house I ordered you to be transported to this chamber. I bade Catherine lock the door of the ante-room, take out the key, and thrust it underneath the door of my own bed- room—alleging as a reason for this command that I might be assured none of the other servants would either through motives of compassion or apprehension grant you your freedom. But in- stead of repairing to my own room, I came and secreted myself in this, while you were being con- veyed up-stairs. My object may easily be under- stood ——_” “And that object?” I said, inquiringly : for there seemed to be so much sophistry and so many inconsistencies in St. Clair’s explanations that I could not put faith in them. “TI see that you doubt me,” he continued; “but by facts will I convince you. Were you not brought in a state of insensibility to this house? were you not therefore in my power P and might { not have rendered you my victim? Butno! I suffered Catherine to adopt the means of recover- ing you, so that when the morning should come, and she on entering the chamber should find me with you, it would have the appearance as if you had of your own accord succumbed to my entrea- ties, my vows, and my protestations.” “ Oh, this refined villany!” I exclaimed, my cheeks crimson with indignation and with the glowing shame of offended modesty. ‘ Enough of these details!—enough, I command you!—and tell me at once to what is all this to lead?” . “ You must listen to me, Ellen!” proceeded St. Clair vehemently. ‘Call me villain if you will : but at least let me convince you that my villany has uot been altogether so great as you imagine it. Catherine has no doubt placed the key, ac- cording to my instructions, beneath my bedroom door (4 “ How then,” I demanded, “ could she possibly suppose in the morning—if your villanous plans had been carried out—that you had availed your- self of that key to obtain admission here? How could she even obtain admission for herself in the morning P” ** Because I have a duplicate key,” answered St. Clair ; “and it is herein my hand. Liberate me from this place—carry not into effect your dreadful menaces—do not expose my life to so hideous a peril !—and I swear to you, Ellen, that you shall go forth from this house without a hair of your head being harmed. Nay, more !—as this plot of mine has failed, it must be the last which in the madness of my love I dare practise against you. For I know that to-morrow you will invoke the protection of the law, and I shall flee away to the Continent—there to remain until your anger be appeased, or some individual more fortunate than myself may have won that hand which I would give worlds to possess. ‘Thus you perceive, Ellen, you will henceforth incur no fresh peril from me!” ** Enough!” I ejaculated; “there is no reliance to be placed upon your word. Give mo that key —or my threats shall be carried out—the flames shall be applied to the curtains and the draperies ! Oh, you little suspected, Captain St. Clair, with whom you had to deal! For such persecutions as your’s—such devices—such crimes-—are sufficient to arouse the desperate and vindictive spirit of an angel !” “But if I give you the key,” cried Edwin, in accents of mingled rage and despair, “you will emancipate yourself—and you will leave me here P” ** Doubtless!” I exclaimed. “Quick! quick! You know the alternatives!”—and speeding to- wards the toilet-table, I stretched forth my hand as if to grasp one of the tapers that were burning there. ‘“‘ Hor heaven's sake pause!” cried the wretched St. Clair. ‘‘This is madness on your part! I swear to fulfil my word—you shall leave this house unharmed “Not one tittle of the advantages that I have gained,” I cried, “ will I surrender up! No!—on the contrary !’—and I placed another chair, laid down lengthways, between the ottoman and the sofa, in order to strengthen the barricade which kept my prisoner fast. “But if you leave me here, Ellen,” said Sé. Clair, in a tone of the most abject piteousness, “vou will render me an object of ridicule to my domestics—they will whisper the tale abroad—ié will become known—I should be laughed at—at the Club I should be jeered———” “All these misfortunes you will have drawn down upon your own head,” I interrupted him: and then I added ina taunting tone, “ But if you proceed to the Continent you wiil eseape the un- pleasant things you have enumerated. Ah, Cap- tain St. Clair! your words are full of contradic- tions and inconsistencies!” “For heaven’s sake release me, Miss Percy !— release me, Ellen! I conjure you!” he cried. “To leave me here—to be discovered thus by my do- mestics—were intolerable |” ger eS A | CONNIE DOOKS (COIN