Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

| ee ee 64 “T willdo your bidding,” I said: and I hastened away from the spot. T had given this answer on the impulse of the moment: but as i reached the garden gate, I re- pented the haste with which I had acceded to the old gipsy’s demand. My first thought was to put Lady Lilla to the test, and see whether the pre- sentation of a flower would have upon her any effect similar to that which it produced on Edwin St. Clair. If so, I fancied that it must lead to ex- planations: she could not leave me any longer in the dark upon the subject; and I should have an opportunity of mentioning the other topic which was equally prominent in my thoughts: namely, that which related to the fragment of the letter. But as I was returning for this purpose, the thought stole into my brain that if this were a mere silly trick on the old crone’s part, it would really be insulting to Lady Lilla Essendine to de- liver her such a message. I re-entered the garden slowly, still irresolute how to act: but scarcely had I threaded the shrub- bery, when I met her ladyship. “I was seeking you, my dear Ellen,” she said. “T have finished my letters—my time is now at your disposal But you have a beautiful flower there ?—and it is a wild one too!” “Yes,” I answered, hesitatingly and in con- fusion ; “it was given to me by an old gipsy :’”— and I scarcely knew what I was saying. “ An old gipsy ?” ejaculated Lady Lilla: and it was with so sudden a start that she spoke, I felt convinced in a moment there was indeed something in the message of which I was the bearer. “Yes,” I responded, now determined to deliver that message, “she is in the lane, just at the turn- ing ; and—and—she beseeches a few minutes’ in- terview with your ladyship.” Lady Lilla’s countenance, naturally pale, grew all in an instant absolutely ghastly. That ani- mation and polish which, as I have before said, seemed to supply the place of the blushing glow of health, fled from her cheeks, which became of a dull, deadly white. Her lips too turned ashy ; and for a moment methought she staggered as if stricken a blow. * And that flower, Ellen?” she said, or rather gasped forth. “The old gipsy bade me present it to your ladyship,” I answered, “as a token——” “Oh! how silly and foolish this is!”: exclaimed Lilla, visibly exerting an almost preterhuman power to regain her self-possession; while she en- deavoured to smile away the whole proceeding, as if it were but a trifle and a jest—though that at- tempt at smiling was of sickly ghastliness. ‘“ You will begin to fancy,” she continued, “ that there is a subtle magic in flowers But I will indulge the crone—I will see to what extent she has the impudence to carry her mirth! Await my return in the garden.” Thus speaking, Lady Lilla Essendine hurried away from me, and was at once lost to my view in the mazes of the shrubbery. I remained riveted to the spot: a sensation crept over me ag if I were becoming unwillingly yet irresistibly involved in some dark unhallowed mysteries. The misgivings which had been previously agitating in my mind in respect to her ladyship, were strengthened: and i felt as if I were afraid of her. What could it ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AW ACTRESS all mean P—what deep mystic power did the simple presentation of a rose convey ?—and was she sub- ject to precisely the same influence as that which had shed its spell in so appalling a manner upon Edwin St. Clair? I felt dispirited and unhappy : I wished that I had never accepted Lady Lilla’s invitation—but that I had accompanied the Nor- mans to the seaside, where I knew them to be en- joying themselves; for I had received a letter from Juliet that very morning. I moved slowly away from the spot: I walked through the garden—I wondered what at that moment was progressing between the old witch and her ladyship. I was not however long left alone ; forin a few minutes I heard light footsteps approaching from behind: I turned and beheld Lady Lilla advancing along the gravel-walk. Smiles were upon her countenance: she accosted me gaily, exclaiming, “That old gipsy wanted to tell my fortune! Of course I disposed of her quickly.—But how pensive and sad you look, my dear Ellen! Surely the crone did not dare pre- sage evil in respect to yourself?” “No, my "lady—no,” I answered. “ Butdo you not feel—does it not strike you—that it must seem to me most remarkable 7 “ Ah, my dear friend, I understand you !” cried Lilla. “6 You are abandoning yourself to the im- pressions of coincidences! Why, you cannot seriously imagine that there’s any connexion be- tween the means I placed in your possession of overaweing St. Clair, and this silly freak of an old gipsy? ‘Truly you astonish me !” Lady Lilla’s merriment pealed forth with a sound of so much melodious heartiness, that for an instant I was staggered; and then I thought within my- self that it must be a mere coincidence afterall. I had never seen her more gay: I could not possibly believe that this gaiety was feigned on her part ; and therefore I had no pretext for further com- ment on that topic. But I was on the very point of mentioning the other subject: namely, the one in reference to the fragment of the letter and her own handwriting ; when some lady-visitors drove up in their carriage to the gate. These were friends whom [I had seen before. A party was formed to visit the Zoological Gardens in the neighbourhood : those ladies returned with us to dinner; and as they did not take their leave until somewhat a late hour, I had no further opportunity of conversing alone that day with Lady Lilla HEssendine. But on retiring to rest, I again reviewed all those topics which had been troubling me. Could it have been a mere delusion on my part when I fancied that on first mentioning the old gipsy, Lady Lilla Essendine had turned so ghastly white? and was-I contemplating her at the time only through the medium of the distorting mirror of my own morbid sensations? As for what the gipsy had told me relative to the tall, slender, handsome young man,—I attached no more im- portance to it than that it had vividly reminded me of my cousin Harry,—with whose description, in its slightly outlined sketch, it happened to cor- respond. But this I knew to be accidental: she had spoken in the wonted jargon of gipsies, who invariably promise tall, dark-haired, slender lovers to the silly girls who are foolish enough to listen to them. My sleep that night was uneasy and feverish. CORMIEIOOKS Eom!