Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 228: what you’re looking at

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

— ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE Zarah; “and I repeat, Luigi, I admire a disposi- tion such as your’s. Yes, yes—I comprehend! You had now that haughty lady in your power ; for doubtless the appointment was kept ?” “Yes,” continued the Italian; “and I had hid- den myself in the garden with the intention of bursting into the chamber and surprising them to- gether. Eut the adventure progressed otherwise than I had anticipated: the Count himself was there, unsuspected by me;—and all of a sudden the casement was burst in—the frantic nobleman had forestalled me in what I myself had intended to do. In an instant it was over: Angelo Marano was a bleeding corpse! But you will perceive that this was a tragedy which I myself little ex- pected” : * And yet you could not blame yourself,” ex- claimed Zarah. ‘“O Luigi! every instant you are becoming more worthy of my love: for there is something sublime and noble in an Italian re- venge !” “Ah! and something fearfully sublime and aw- fully noble in this one,” responded Luigi. “The Countess addressed to her husband a letter of ex- planations, especially with regard to the share that I myself had taken in the transaction i * Oh! then was your opportunity!” cried Za- rah:.“and you told your tale to suit your own purposes, and to confirm the punishment of that haughty woman did you not, Luigi ?” “ Yes—it was thus I told my tale,” responded the Italian. “Then followed the scene that you have beheld in that picture which the Count so often gloats over. And I myself painted that picture: for as I have told you before, I was well educated in my youth, and I possess many accomplishments, And for four days and for four nights did that scene endure; and I, the only confidant of my noble master in the wreaking of his terrific vengeance, conveyed to the apartment a tray of food at stated intervals; and from be- hind the screen which was drawn in front cf the door, I obtained a glimpse on each occasion of what was passing within. Now you know every: thing. There is not another secret which my heart cherishes !” * Admirable Luigi!” exclaimed Zarah; “ you have cone all that I demanded of you. Oh, that was indeed an Italian vengeance !—a vengeance sublime and terrible—and all the move sublime and all the more terrible because the Countess was innocent was she not?” **-Yes—innocent,” replied Luigi: “or else, with- out that innocence, where would have been the vengeance? If guilty, it would have dwindled down into a merely righteous punishment. But why do you gaze thus at me?”—and the Italian suddenly put the question in accents of a vague terror. “Why do I thus gaze at you?” exclaimed Zarah: and I heard her start up from her seat. “Oh, that my eyes could shoot forth lightnings to strike you down, monster of iniquity that you are! But the truth has been elicited from your lips and here is the witness!” added Zarah, as she tore open the folding-doors. The dismayed astonishment, the rage and the terror, which, all combining, seized upon the mise- rable man, were not however greater than the joy which I experienced at having thus obtained che — MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, 215 means of proving the complete innocence of Beatrice. “ Ah, there shall be another revenge !”’ suddenly exclaimed the Italian: and like a tiger he bounded towards Zarah. But she was prepared for this; and instan- taneously springing back, she drew a dagger from her bodice. Her fine form was drawn up to its full height; and with the haughtiest scorn and contempt for her adversary, she said, “ Dare ad- vance another step—and this weapon drinks your heart’s blood !” It would be impossible to describe the look of fiendish rage, mingled with the scowl of utter dis- comfiture, which Luigi flung upon Zarah. Ho then rushed to the door, and disappeared from cur view. Almost immediately afterwards we heard the front door of the house closing violently: and rushing to the window, we beheld the Italian speeding along the street. Perhaps ignorant of the British laws, he was apprehensive that he might have committed himself to within the scope of their jurisdiction by the avowals he had made. “ Zarab,’ 1 exclaimed, seizing her hand and pressing it with fervour, “you performed your part admirably! At first I trembled lest you should utterly fail in dragging forth the secrets of that villain’s black heart: but when I found him becoming as fervid as he was credulous in his in- fatuation, my opinion changed and I saw that suc- cess was before you. Aud you have succeeded !— and by a trifling as well as a temporary sacrifice of feeling on your part, you have done that which will infuse happiness into several souls, and render justice to one who has been well-nigh crushed beneath the stigma of unmerited shame and the weight of bitterest persecutions. It now remains for me to lead the next scene in this drama of real life. Let us inquire if the Count of Carboni be within ?” “He is not,’ responded Zarah: “for if he were, we should have heard his footsteps either below or above Ah! there is his knock at the front door!” . i issued from the room; and descending the stairs, met the Count of Carboni just as he was entering the house. The maid-servant who had opened the door, retreated rapidly along the pas- sage; and without addressing the Count by any name, I said to him, “ Pardon the liberty I am taking—but I beg a few minutes’ interview with you.” “T have the pleasure of knowing you by sight, Miss Trafford,” he replied. “I saw you once at the theatre: you appeared on the occasion in the character of Portia.” I was not at all astonished that he recognised me: for I remembered how attentively he watched me on that particular evening. But scarcely had he finished speaking, when a dark shade came with a sombre scowling expression over his fea- tures: and looking at me with his black piercing eyes, he said, “ What business can you have with me? For if it relate to ” He suddenly stopped short; and J, fearful lest he should hasten away and refuse me the interview which I craved, quickly responded, “It is concerning your domes. tic Lu‘gi that I wish to speak to you.” “Ah, that is different!” he said, his counte- nance suddenly losing that depth of sombre (COMMUC 9)(O)|;< Geom .