Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 383: what you’re looking at

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

a er 370 ELLEN PEROY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. rr ee and you bade me go to a shop in Regent Street. | who was looking in a shop window at a lttle dis- I could there only obtain two or three volumes of | tance: and she said, ‘There! that is the Marquis the half-dozen different works that I required: | of Tynedale!’” but the shop-keeper told me that I should very likely find the others at an establishment in the Burlington Arcade. To the Burlington Aveade I accordingly went; and I proceeded to the shop. There however I failed to procure the books: but the shopkeeper promised to get them for me from } Paris in the course of the week. I had never before been to the Burlington Arcade: I therefore walked slowly to the end, looking at the diffexent shops. While thus engaged, I was accosted by an old lady, who was very handsomely dressed, though with more showiness than taste; and she asked me if I could tell her where dwelt some countess whom she named—but I forget what name it was; for I quickly assured her that I myself was almost a stranger in London, and that I had no titled ac- quaintances. She seemed anxious to engage me in conversation ; and as she was very kim@ im her manner, and seemed very lady-like, 2 could not hurry off—though I had borne in mind youn in- junction never to form the acquaintgace of siran- gers in the street.” “By all means, Mary,” I exclaimed, “never forget that injunction!—for you do not know how many designing persons there axe in London, and what false hearts are concealed undex fain faces and gaudy yesture. But contmue your nar- rative.” » “This old lady,” proceeded Mary Glentworth, “began to inform me that she also, was a stranger in London—that she possessed @ splendid country seat in Yorkshire—that she had come up to town for a few weeks—that she had taken a beautiful ready furnished house —and that she was now going to ca upon this countess whom she had named. She added that the cowatess was the widow of some great earl and a very intimate friend of hers. She said that she had given hex eoachman a holiday, and that this was the reason she was on foot at the time, and thus seeking her way to her noble lady-friend’s mansion, Sle said that she should be delighted to see me at her own house, for she liked my looks and had taken a great fancy to me.” “But you did not believe her, Mary?” I ex- claimed, convinced that it was some vile designing wretch whom my unsophisticated friend had en- countered. “Indeed I did!” replied Mary iagenuously : “for her look was so composed and her discourse so natural, that I set her down to be a lady worth at least five or ten thousand a year. Andsho had an enormous brooch, all studded with diamonds ; and she took off her glove—and her fingers were covered with rings, likewise set with such beauti- ful diamonds 4 “ Pieces of glass, Mary!’ I ejaculated: “ gems as false as her own seductive language! But pray proceed,” “T must confess that the old lady produced such an impression on my mind,” continued Miss Glentworth, “that I really pitied her on account of having given her coachman a holiday, and being rondemned to walk to the mansion of her friend the countess. So I was almost inclined to offer her a seat in the carriage, when she suddenly irected my attention to an elderly gentleman ———— “Ah!” Tejaculated. “I have seen that noble- man—TI have heard likewise of his charac ter———” | GAnd it is infamous, is if not?” inquired ‘Many; “for he said such rude things to me——” _ €Tnfamous indged!” Texclaimed. “But, good heayens | how imdiscreet you must have been! Telk mo, how it happened ?” Pray do not blame me, Ellen,” said Mary, taking my hand aad pressing it; “for you will see that it was mot my fault. The Marquis ac- costed the old lady, to whom he made a very familiar bow; and then I turned away. A few moments afterwards the Marquis of Tynedale was by my side; and he at once endeavoured to get into conversation with me. I stopped short — Jooked him full ia the face—and told him that I did not conyerse with sirangers. But he perso- vexed in addressing me: he began speaking of my —<— good looks—tokt me that ho was rich and a widower that J felt my cheeks glowing with blushes; and ‘though I hurried along the arcade I could not rid ¥n.a word, Hilen, he said such things wyself of him. At length E again stopped short, and assuxed him that if he did not at once leave me I would appeal to the first person who might approach, At ‘man was issuing from the very bookseller’s shop ‘where I had recently beem; and catching the words that fell from my lips, he approached and t very instant a young gentle- asked if he could render me any assistance P— *Ob,” said the Marquis ef Pynzedale, Sit is no- thing! This young lady and I understand each other very, well; and with a little more private ‘conversation we shall make our peace together.’— ‘The young gentleman evidently comprehended that I was being insulted; and he said in a firm voice, ‘Phe young lady shall decide for herself, whether she will remain with you, my lord’ (for he, evidently knew the Marquis), ‘or whether she - ‘will permit me to escort her out of the arcade,.’— ‘Oh, a thousand thanks!’ I exclaimed: ‘I wish to be rid of the importunities of this rude noble- man!’ —- Thereupon the Marquis of Tynedale turned upon his heel, and moved off, muttering something. I said a few hurried words of thanks to the young gentleman: he bowed courteously— and we separated. That, dear Ellen, is the his- tory of my adventure.” “Do you not comprehend, Mary,” I asked, “that the female whom you took to be a respect- able lady, was really a bad character—and that it was because you had remained in conversation with her, she took you to be a simple country girl, and gave the Marquis of Tynedale some hurried hint which emboldened him to persecute you as he did? It was fortunate that you received such chivalrous succour: for even in the most crowded thoroughfares of London, and in the broad day- light, young females are sometimes persecuted and insulted by such wretches as that Marquis. Yor the future I beseech you to be more guarded !” “T will, dearest Ellen,” replied Mary: “it shall be a lesson to me. But that young gentleman who acted so well and so kindly—he was exceed- ingly handsome—his manners were most amiable —and he was dressed with what may be termed the COME 0)(@(0)|;< com