Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 293: what you’re looking at

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ne 280 was reflected in his countenance. upon me a glance which showed that he longed to question me, but that he dared not. turn to triumph, and her conquest shall endure for a lifetime! ” “Yes — you spoke well, Beda!” exclaimed Zarah. ‘“ And what did he say ?” “He folded his arms across his chest,’’? con- tinued Beda,—‘‘I scarcely knew for an instant whether it were in actual bravado, or whether it were a movement arising from the desperate feel- ings of one who saw that conditions which he dared not refuse were about to be presented to But I him as it were at the sword’s point. quickly perceived that it was the latter: for when I told him, Zarah, precisely what you had bidden me say—when I repeated the words which you had put into my mouth, his countenance became more ghastly than it was at first, his lips grew ashy, and they quivered perceptibly. I assured him that the-lesson he had taught you by his treachery of last night, was not thrown away— that you had taken precautions which would defy all his ingenuity and all his artifice; for that you had committed to paper everything you knew con- cerning him, and you cared not whether others might be involved in his ruin if he were insensate enough to invoke that ruin upon his head.” “Ob, you spoke well! You executed your mis: sion admirably!” exclaimed Zarah. “ Proceed, my dear Beda—proceed !” “ St. Clair muttered something to himself,” con- tinued Beda: “I did not exactly catch what it was—but methought it was to the effect that you, Zarah, had borrowed a leaf out of Miss Percy’s book. I saw that he was terribly agitated, that he was shaken to the very innermost of his whole being, that he looked like a man who felt that the entire fabric of his schemes was crumbling around himself. I left him no time to recover his self- possession: I knew that by dealing at him a quick succession of blows I should be best serving your interests. 1 therefore said, with as much impres- siveness as possible, ‘ Zarah now insists that you shall fulfil to-morrow, at eleven in the forenoon, that which you have pledged yourself to accom- plish to-day, and to evade which you perpetrated that tremendous treachery against her. Shortly before eleven to-morrow I shall be here to conduct you to her presence. And now understand me well, Captain St. Clair. If towards me to-morrow you attempt the slightest treachery—or if you fail to obey Zarah’s mandates, she will allow matters to take their course ; and at noon punctually her friend will open the sealed packet confided to his keeping, and place the contents in the hands of the authorities. One word alone can save you; and Zarah’s lips only can pronounce that word. It will rest with yourself whether this word shall be spoken by those lips ere the hour of noon to-morrow !’—Captain St. Clair listened to me with a continued ghastliness of countenance; and | when I had finished speaking, he still remained | ——_ Again he betook himself to his troubled walk: at every turn he flung At length he abruptly stopped short, and demanded, ‘ For what purpose do you come? are you a messenger from your mistress Miss Percy? or are you for the nonce serving the views of your friend Zarah ?’ —‘It is Zarah who has sent me,’ I answered. ‘You triumphed for a few hours: it 1s now her | sailed on any vulnerable point. ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. gazing upon me for some moments longer, as if he were under the influence of an awful con- sternation and dismay. Then he slowly turned round, advanced to the mantel, and stood there for some minutes, with his back towards me. He seemed to forget that the mirror reflected his countenance, and that all the hideous horrible feelings which were then conflicting in his soul, were indicated upon his features. At last he turned abruptly away from the mantel; and ac- costing me again, he said in a deep hollow voice, ‘Beda, it shall be done. But for heaven’s sake tell Zarah to do nothing rash: tell her that inas- much as there will be certain preparations to make to-morrow morning—a license to procure— a clergyman to have in readiness—I may not be enabled to keep so closely to the time as she arbitrarily expects. Yet I swear that her wishes shall now be fulfilled; and as a proof of my sin- cerity, you may tell her also that I confess myself vanquished. When Edwin St. Clair makes such an admission as this, it is that he only feels too keenly that which truth constrains him to avow.’ —‘ For your own sake, Captain St. Clair,’ I an- swered, ‘I would indeed counsel you to attend to Zarah’s mandates; for she is resolute; and the friend to whose hands she has consigned the papers, is not a man who will neglect the instruc- tions that have been given him.’—Having thus spoken, I turned quickly away, and glided from the room: but I lingered alike on the landing and on the stairs, in order to ascertain whether Captain St. Clair took any steps to have me fol- lowed so as to discover my destination on leaving the house. sary: the door did not open—no bell rang. I issued forth from the dwelling: and I made the best of my way hither. added Beda emphatically, “ that Captain St. Clair is a man who is completely beaten: he feels it— he knows it; and at eleven to-morrow you will behold him here.” The precaution was however unneces- I feel convinced, Zarah,” “Such also is my opinion,” I said, “after everything I have heard:”—for my misgivings had now entirely vanished. Both Zarah and myself complimented Beda upon the manner in which she had acquitted her- self of the mission entrusted to her; and the faith- ful girl was rejoiced at thus deserving our com- mendations. I determined upon leaving Beda with Zarah for the night; so that in case any mis- chief should happen to the latter, the former would be enabled to bring me the intelligence with the least possible delay—though I looked upon the precaution as-barely necessary ; for Beda’s narra- tive had proved how St, Clair was discomfited, and I felt convinced that he must know the gipsy nature of Zarah too well to suppose that she would on the present occasion leave herself open to be as- I took my leave and returned to Hunter Street. The Normans fancied I had been making a variety of calls amongst my acquaintances at the West End;— and in respect to BedaI had already accounted for her absence from the house by stating that I had given hera holiday to enable her to visit a respect. able female whom she knew. It was a long time that night ere slumber visited my eyes: for I was kept awake by my reflections on all that had passed during the day, as well as by a certain COMMUC NOOO KS,CORN