Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 378: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, doubt that on a future occasion I should take Beda into my confidence on the point, inasmuch as her assistance would be needful in following up the clue which I already possessed. “ Have you succeeded, Beda?” I inquired, when the young girl reappeared at the hotel. “Yes, Miss,” she responded. “If you call upon Mr. Sawbridge, an attorney who lives in this very same street, you will ascertain every particular.” “T will go at once,” I said: and in a fey minutes I entered the attorney’s office. Mr. Sawbridge was there; and I was at once admitted into his presence. I introduced myself to him as Miss Percy—which name indeed I was passing under at the hotel; so that he had no idea I was the well-known Miss Trafford. “TI believe, Mr. Sawbridge,” I said, “you are one of the executors of the late Mr. Bolton—to whom belonged, amongst other property, the house in which Mrs. Kelly the schoolmistress re- sides P” | “Tt is as you have been informed, Miss Percy,” replied the lawyer. “Itis my duty as an executor to make the most of the property of the deceased for the heirs whom he has left behind; and as these are three in number, I am compelled to realise that property with a view to its equal dis- tribution. I have already received an offer for the house to which you allude: but I have not yet found time to progress with the negotia- tion,” “What is the value of the house?” I ine quired. “The offer I have received is six hundred pounds,” was the attorney’s response. “Tt would be a hard thing,” I said, “ to compel the poor old lady to leave a house which she has inhabited so long and in a neighbourhood where she has formed so good a connexion for her day- school. Can nothing be done to ensure her the occupation of the house for the remainder of her life? She has not many years to live P “ZT see that you are interested in her,” said Mr. Sawbridge; “and I will explain to you exactly how the matter stands. The deceased Mr. Bolton’s heirs instructed me to offer Mrs. Kelly the lease of the house, at its present rental, for the remainder of her natural life, if she would pay a bonus of a hundred and fifty pounds. But this she has declined to do.” “© Because doubtless,” I said, “ her means cannot be very great. But I presume it will be precisely the same thing if I pay that sum for her?—~and you will give her the lease P” “Certainly,” answered Mr. Sawbridge. “AsI have already told you, Miss Percy, it is my object as well as my duty to make the property produce as much ag possible for its present heirs. Mrs, Kelly pays a very low rent: but the bonus which I have named would be considered by the heirs as a just equivalent for the advantages they would otherwise attain by the immediate sale of the house.” “Then I will pay that money,” I said. “TI pre- sume you will take my cheque on my London banker ?—as I did not come to Leeds prepared with any such amount.” I saw that the lawyer hesitated; anc I therefore added, “Mr. Jacobs, the house-agent in Om —— ES ee 365 Street, can satisfy you that I have a little pro- perty in this town which is worth considerably more than the sum mentioned between us. But perhaps, if you glance at this card, you will bo still more completely satisfied of my ability to pay the sum.” Thus speaking, I handed Mr, Sawbridge the card of my dramatic name; and on looking at it, he at once expressed himself completely satisfied, and spoke of the honour which he experienced in thus forming my acquaintance. He promised that the lease should be drawn up that very day, and that it should be in readiness for my disposal on the following morning at ten o’clock. I re. quested him to keep the matter secret from Mrs, Kelly, as I reserved to myself the pleasure of affording thaé excellent lady an agreeable sur- prise ; and I took my departure from the lawyer’s office. In the course of the day I reflected that after everything which had transpired in respect to my late grandfather’s house, it would be better to leave the building in its present condition for a little while, until I should have ascertained whether it were possible to bring Mr. Parks to justice: for I thought that perhaps it might be needful for me to show where I had discovered the poisoned lozenges, I therefore called upon Mr. Jacobs, and informed him that for the present I had arrived at no decision in respect to what I would do with the house, further than that I did not choose to let it; and that therefore the board fastened over the front door and announcing that it was either to be let or sold, might be taken down. On the following morning, shortly after ten o’clock, I proceeded to the lawyer’s office, where I found that the lease was duly prepared, according to his promise. I gave him the cheque for a hun- dred and fifty pounds; and I took my departure, in possession of the document. I bent my steps towards the residence of the worthy dame to whose interests I had thus been devoting my attention : I found her in the schoolroom, surrounded by her pupils; and she welcomed me with affectionate joy. I requested permission to speak to her alone fora few minutes; and we retired together into her parlour. “Tam now come, my dear Mrs. Kelly,” I said “to reveal to you a secret which I might have confessed yesterday: but I really had not the spirits to boast rejoicefully of my own elevation in the world. I was affected by my meeting with you—by all the past associations which that meet- ing conjured up—and by the prospect of imme- diately afterwards visiting the old house where my childhood was spent. I had scarcely any other motive for my reserve upon the point and thank God, no shame!” “Ob, my dear girl! is it possible,’ exclaimed Mrs Kelly, whose venerable countenance became radiant as she suspected the truth,—“is it pos- sible 7 “Ah! and remember, my good friend,” I in- terrupted her, smiling, “ that you assured me you should at once tell the secret to all your neigh- bours !—and as I came to Leeds under a strict incegnito, for mere business purposes i “Oh! then, after all,” cried the dame, “ it 7s your portrait—and you are Miss Trafford !”’ She embraced me, the tears of joy flowing from * CORMIELOO© <S Com