Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 227: what you’re looking at

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

214, dress me in all these beautiful compliments; aad I will listen to them! Yes; I will display all the tenderness that you can desire; and I will say to you, ‘Luigi, lam thine! Thou shalt lead me to the altar!’ ” “Oh, thanks! a thousand thanks!” exclaimed the enraptured Italian. ‘“ What proof do you de- mand of me? Bid me attempt any difficult task —and I will essay if! Bid me reveal every secret of this heart of mine—and I will confess to you as if to a sainted priest !” “Listen to me, Luigi!” said Zarah. “For certain reasons—which I will explain to you at another time—I have vowed that to no man shall my love be ever given—on no man shall my hand ever be conferred—in whose soul I have reason to believe that there are secrets treasured up. This belief I entertain of you. Do not in- terrupt me—but continue to listen with attention ! Yes, Luigi—there are secrets in your soul—and I have partially divined them !” “You?” ejaculated the Italian, ‘with startled accents. _* Yes—I!” she responded. ‘“ From certain words which have dropped from your lips at dif.- ferent times—words full of significancy, yet so mysterious “ “Yes, yes—it may be so!” said Luigi, in musing accents. ‘“ When I am excited, I speak un- guiardedly. And Oh! to be under the influence of the spells of your beauty—to be infatuated as I am infatuated with your loveliness 4 “Suffer me to proceed,” interrupted Zarah. ** Not only from words which you yourself have let drop, but likewise from certain mutterings which I accidentally overheard on the part of your master, the Count of Carboni——” “Well, well,” said Luigi, tremulous with sus- pense. ‘And those words . “ Point to the reading of a fearful secret,” con- tinued Zarah. “And what is more But now I am giving you a proof of confidence I have seen that fearful picture in the Count’s cham- ber !” “Ah! I remember,” interjected Luigi, “ that when you and I have been conversing together, I have dropped allusions to the deadly vengeance which the Count wreaked in a certain quarter. But I did not think that I spoke so plainly “Luigi!” exclaimed Zarab, assuming an impas- sioned tone; “I care not what part you may have played in that tremendous drama: I care not to what an extent you may have participated in its horrors! No—for all this I care not! But what I do care for, is that you should keep a single secret from me! Frankly do I declare that if you have been guilty of crimes, the fact would make no difference in what I might feel towards you: but I must know them! WNo- thing must be hidden from me! I would not wed a man over whose countenance I knew that there was a mask: I would sooner see that countenance revealed, even though it were one impressed with the sinister traces of crime !” “‘Inscrutable being that you are!” murmured the infatuated Luigi; “ your words fill me with a strange bewilderment. Yet, Oh! the tones of your voice—your looks He * Deal frankly with me, Luigi, and I am thine !”’—and Zarah admirably suited her accents a oe nee ew ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. to the part which she was performing. ‘ Confess, Luigi, that to obtain this hold which you possess over your master, you did something—you were guilty of some deep duplicity—perhaps you your- self, for your Own reasons, aided to bring about the catastrophe. Ifso—and if it were for revenge, I could admire you!” “Ah, this promise which you now hold out P” exclaimed the Italian, in rapturous triumph. “Yes, yes!—it was through revenge! At the same time that the Count wreaked his revenge, I wreaked mine. And now admire me, my weil- beloved !—admire me !”’ “Oh, I admire you, Luigi!” cried Zarah, in a tone which for its enthusiasm seemed to emulate hisown. ‘ Proceed!—tell me all this—secure my admiration ; for I know that one who can avenge terribly, can love devotedly. All passions should be in extremes > “And mine are!” ejaculated Luigi. “It was my master’s wife—the Countess of Carboni she spurned my services when I would have ren- dered them—she menaced me with betrayal to my lord, and with consequent dismissal: she scorned the humble Luigi as an agent and assistant—and I was avenged—Oh, I was terribly avenged !” “And you were right!” exclaimed Zarah. “The more you tell me, the more I admire you. Yes—I love a fervid disposition such as yours! But proceed, Luigi!—tell me how you accom- plished your vengeance P” “ The Countess of Carboni was beloved by an- other—his name was Angelo Marano. He sought me one evening—he told me that he had met the Countess in the neighbouring grove—but that she had indignantly bidden him depart. He was ut- terly unprepared for such a reception: his spirit was chafed—while the spectacle of her enchanting beauty had fired his passions. He swore to possess her! He put a heavy bribe into my hand, and demanded my co-operation. In the neighbouring cottage of a labourer he penned a billet,—of which I became the bearer to the Countess. Methought, from all that he told me of their past love, that she would relent upon perusing it, and that she would yield to the prayer which it contained. But she indignantly burnt it without scanning its con- tents. Then was it that she overwhelmed me with reproaches, and vowed on my lord’s return that she would explain my whole conduct. What was I to do?” “You had two courses to adopt,” exclaimed Zarah boldly: “ you had to ensure your own safety in respect to your master, and to punish the haughty lady who would have involved you in ruin.” “Oh, how well you comprehend my disposi- tion!” exclaimed Luigi. ‘ Yes—those were the paths which I had to take. And first of all, I saw a means by which I might get that hauguty lady into my power: for the note which I had borne distinctly specified that if she sent back no answer, her silence was meant to imply that she would accord the interview which was therein be- sought. So I returned to Angelo Marano; and I told him that there was no answer. I even threw out encouraging words, and represented that my noble mistress had smiled and blushed with pleasure over the contents of his billet.” ‘You played your part admirably!” exclaimed ee ET TT AT TT <=) ¢€om Gomichboo