Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 261: what you’re looking at

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248 nounce your nald " « “]Jmpossible!” he exclaimed. “I am in honour bound to adhere to it. Moreover there are agreo- ments signed M4 ‘Then by all means fulfil them,” I answered: and with downeast looks, while my cheeks were clothed in blushes, I added, “ We can wait, Henry, as we have already waited: and if you have con- fidence in your own love, believe me when I assure you that mine is unalterable !” Ho folded me in his arms, again giving way to the bitterest self-reproaches for having mistrusted me: and again I had to take upon myself the part of a consoler. “He grew tranquillized; and we conversed more deliberately upon our plans. He calculated that his approaching absence from Eng- land would be for at least a twelyemonth—at the expiraticn of which time he hoped to be in the possession of a considerable sum of money as his share of the commercial ventures in which he was about to embark for Mr. Macdonald. I asked him to tell me frankly and sincerely whether he had any objection that I should remain upon the stage ?—and he at once replied, “ After all that has occurred, Ellen, it would be nothing less than a downright insult if I were to beseech you to withdraw from a profession through whose ordeal of temptations you have already passed with so much credit to yourself. No, my dear girl !—con- tinue to pursue that profession which you love and in which you are acquiring so much fame. I have already told you, Ellen, I felt proud of knowing that she who was the idol of my heart had achieved so grand a success!” I was much rejoiced by the manner in which Henry now ad@ressed me; and I thought it right to tell him that I hada father living—that this father had been both criminal and unfortunate— that he was sincerely penitent for his misdeeds— and that he was residing in seclusion in France. But I did not reveal to my cousin the peculiar circumstances which had gradually led me on to discover that the so-called Mr. Croft was the author of my being; for if I had entered into those details it would have been necessary to trench upon the circumstances which involved Juliet’s secret. My father was the late Mr. Wake- field’s brother, and consequently Henry’s uncle: I considered that my cousin had a right to be in- formed of the existence of that relative; and I had moreover received a painful lesson teaching mo to avoid in future the unnecessary retention of any secret. Harry listened with astonishment to the intelligence which I thus communicated, and I said to him, “ You will not think the worse of me for possessing such a father P” “Oh, conceive not such an idea, my beloved Ellen!” he exclaimed. ‘“ How is it possible that you can be rendered responsible for the deeds of others, no matter how nearly they may be con- nected with you?” I then proceeded to inform my cousin that the very Mrs. Oldcastle of whom so much had been said, was likewise a connexion of ours; and here again was a subject of surprise for Henry Wake- field, as he had never even heard his mother speak of such a family. 2 With reference to the numerous adventures which I had experienced through the persecutions ELLEN PERCY 5 OR, THE engagement with Mr. Macdo- ieee —_ + 5 ee eee ee | MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. of Edwin St. Clair, I said but little; for I feared that if I now revealed everything I should only be torturing my cousin with apprehensions for my future welfare—which apprehensions might accompany him across the Atlantic and haunt him during the twelvemonth of his absence, I never- theless informed Henry that I had received a pro- posal of marriage from Captain St. Clair, whose fame as an orator in the House of Commons was so widely spread; and I added that in consequence of my refusai I had converted Captain St. Clair into a bitter enemy. I also whispered to my cousin that I had received a similar proposal from the Marquis of Dalrymple, the heir to a dukedom ; and I said, “ It is through no idle vanity, my dear Henry, that I mention these circumstances: it is only to afford you additional proofs of the con- stancy and fidelity of my attachment towards your- self.” “Oh, Ellen!’ he exclaimed, “ you have rejected these brilliant offers on my account!—and I who have displayed so much ungenerous suspicion in return! Ab, my conduct savours of the blackest ingratitude ‘ ‘‘ Speak not thus, Henry,” I interrupted him; “or I shall regret that I have revealed those facts to your ears. Yet after having been suspected,” I added, in a gentler voice, “it is sweet for me to be enabled to afford you these proofs of my un- changed and unchangeable love!” “And henceforth, Ellen,’ replied my cousin, “the whole study of my life shall be to ensure your happiness. Yes—doubtless you have received brilliant offers; and you will yet receive others; for you are as beautiful as you are talented, and as intelligent as you are amiable. Oh! would that I had some prospect of achieving reputation and wealth on my own side !—but I fear that when the day comes which is to unite us, no more to part, it will be but a humble bridegroom who will conduct you to the altar !” “You will at least bear the reputation of an honourable man, Henry,” I replied: “ whatsoever you possess—be it much or little—will have been earned by your own honest industry ;—and when we throw the contents of our purses into a com- mon stock, we shall not pause to examine who may have contributed the most.” Thus Henry and [I sat conversing until he deemed it prudent to take shis departure,—pro- mising to return on the following day; and he’ left me in a state of mind very different from that which I experienced when entering Paisley a few hours back. I slept sweetly and serenely that night; and when I arose in the morning, it was scarcely with any sense of fatigue. Indeed, when I looked at myself in the glass, I was sur- prised as well as rejoiced at the improvement which had taken place in my aspect. I was not altogether sorry that my union with Henry was yet to be postponed for a twelvemonth —although I regretted the necessity of a complete separation for such a period. But in respect to the postponement of our marriage, I thought that it was perhaps all for the best, as we were still both very young—I only nineteen and my cousin twenty-one; and moreover, as he had a prospect of gaining some little money during the ensuing twelvemonth, I knew that it would better suit the manly independence of his spirit that he should —$__$— — LS Gom 6)(6\(0) COMMUC SS