Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

ee a eee ee - or NO 232 soon reached. neighbourhood of the sunken vessel, which hac’ evidently gone down quite straight—for the tall tapering masts were in an upright position. The tide had begun to ebb; and the water was only just rippling over the deck—so that the bulwarks were clearly visible above the surface. There was a great chattering amongst the assembled specta- tors: but I speedily found the universal impres- sion to be that the yacht had started a plank—as indeed there was no other feasible cause for con- jecture. Several sailors belonging to the vessel were present: I was enabled to recognise them by the uniformity of their apparel, which precisely re- sembled the dress worn by William Lardner. He himself I likewise saw; and that he recognised me also, I was convinced—because he for a few moments placed himself near the spot where the Wormans and I had halted; and getting into con- versation with a byestander, he intimated that there could be no doubt the yacht had started a plank. I understood his meaning: it was in- tended to convey to me the assurance that the real truth was unsuspected. After having remaimed for some little while upon the pier, we returned to the lodgings; and when I sought my couch, sleep stole upon me amidst the reflections which the incidents of that day had naturally engendered. Wild fantastic dreams began to haunt me. I fancied that I was fast secured in the cabin of a vessel which was sinking —that I heard the hurried trampling of feet upon the deck overhead—the bustle of affrighted seamen, mingling with the ominous gush of waters in the hold beneath. Then me- thought that the handsome countenance of St. Clair was gazing in upon me through some open- ing in that cabin, with the look of sinister mis- chief that his face was wont at times to express: and then it appeared as if that countenance gra- Gually changed, with the effect of a dissolving view, into the more beautifully feminine but not less wicked-looking lineaments of Lady Lilla Es- sendine. Again there was a change in the subject of my dreams; and now methought that I was suddenly transported into a magnificently fur- nished apartment, where a horrible spectacle met my view. It was the faithful—Oh! too hideously faithful representation of the picture which Zarah had described to me—the picture of that scene which Beatrice had also described in such ap- palling terms. Methought that I beheld the corpse of Angelo Morano suspended to the ceiling in the place where a chandelier ought to hang— Beatrice, half dismayed and half frantic, kneeling at its feet, and adjuring it to proclaim her inno- cence from its inanimate lips—and the Count himself leaning against the wall, with his arms {ulded across his chest, his naturally sinister coun- tenance shaded in the still deeper gloom of his broad-brimmed hat. Yes—there was the whole scene, depicted to my vision with a vivid painful- ness; and though methought that I endeavoured to close my eyes, yet I could not: an irresistible fascination retained them open, and compelled me to keep my regards riveted on that hideous phan- tasmagoria. In short, I was under the influence of a frightful nightmare—until all of a sudden I awoke with a start, and with the consciousness that a cry had just burst from my lips. a A great crowd was collected in the | | seldom went out so early. _—- ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. vuare ee CHAPTER XLI. MARY AND HER MOTHER. It was still quite dark; and for a few minutes 1 felt afraid. There was a vague terror in my mind: but it was gradually dispelled by the exer- cise of my reasoning powers. Still; after so hor- rible a dream as this, it was only natural that its influence should remain for some little while behind, and that there should even be a doubt whether it were a reality or only a vision. I could not readily compose myself to sleep again; and I lay reflecting upon all that had occurred during the memorable evening which was succeeded by this night of hideous dreams. I saw that I must not hope that Edwin St. Clair or Lady Lilla Essendine would leave me unmo- lested; for that even if for a time they seemed to be quiescent, it was only that during this leisure they might prepare fresh machinations and mature new plans. But there was something appalling in the thought that these wretches were seeking after my life, and that I was so trammelled by circumstances as to be unable to invoke the aid of the law. I was really frightened as I thus meditated. Some day, sooner or later, they might catch me un- awares—I might stumble into some pitfall so care- fully concealed and so treacherously designed as to defy all precaution. What was I to do? To propose terms to such vile miscreants as these— to promise to respect their secrets if they would only leave me unmolested—or to confess the truth, which was that though I suspected much, I had a real knowledge of comparatively nothing. No!— I could not bring myself to the humiliating alter- native of negotiating with such persons — even though this negotiation might regard my very life! In short I knew not how to act: but I congratulated myself on possessing so faithful and intelligent a friend as Beda—for I could not think of her in the light of a menial. Sleep again stole gradually upon my eyes; and now I slumbered on without the recurrence of any of those dreams which in the earlier part of the night had horrified and appalled me. When I awoke, the sun was shining in at the window: my spirits were cheered and my heart was gladdened by its rays. Having finished my toilet, I descended to the break‘ast-parlour, where I found Mr. Norman just preparing to sally out for his morning’s stroll before the repast was served up. He asked me to accompany him; for his wife I not only longed to court the refreshing breeze of the sea—but like- wise to ascertain whether anything was being done in respect to the sunken vessel. I therefore went out with Mr. Norman. We reached the harbour: and we saw that there was again a considerable crowd collected near the spot where the yacht lay. It struck me even from a distance that the masts seemed to be higher than when I had observed them at about eleven o’clock on the previous night ; and Mr. Norman himself noticed the same fact—for he exclaimed, “I do really believe they have managed to float her again !” Such was the truth: it was now high water once more; and there floated the yacht, as buoyant ae CONNIE OOKS Com