Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 96: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, 83 reason that she warned me against him! JBeliev- ing at the time my affections to be wavering under the influence of his insidious power, she put me on my guard against his unprincipled cha- -racter! Nay, more!—well aware that he was capable of any atrocity, she furnished me the means of reducing him to abject submission ! But, Ah ! those means!” And then I thought of the mystery of the flower ; and it vividly brought back to my recol- lection the incident of the gipsies: so that my thoughts were again becoming bewildered and painful to a degree that was almost intolerable ; and in order to escape from them I hastened to rejoin Lady Lilla Essendine and the visitors who were at the moment in the drawing-room, cee et CHAPTER XVII. THE PHIAL IN THE FILIGREE CASE. THERE was company at dinner that evening. Some of the guests were of very lively and cheer- ful dispositions : but out of respect for my mourn- ing garb, there was no music nor singing. The evening however passed away pleasantly enough ; and my mind felt relieved of the weight which had been left upon it by the incidents of the morning ** My dear Hllen,” said Lady Lilla, in the most affectionate manner, as we were about to separate for the night, the guests having taken their de- parture, “I am sorry that these friends of mine should have come this evening: for [ meant you to experience at the villa that quietude and tran- quillity which the house of your friends the Nor- mans could not afford. But they dropped in casually, as you perceived—uninvited—availing themselves of the license of intimacy z * Pray offer no apology, my dear Lilla,” I an- swered : for her ladyship had insisted that we should call each other by our Christian names. “T do not consider that there is any harm in a little innocent recreation; and I confess that the society I haye met this evening has improved my spirits.” “ IT am rejoiced to hear it,” answered her lady- ship ; and having embraced me, she wished me a good night’s rest. I ascended to my chamber, and began to disap- parel myself. Lady Lilla had offered to place a maid entirely at my disposal: but I was enabled to dispense with any such services at my night- toilet. I was therefore alone in my room; and I undressed slowly—for the thoughts of the morn- ing came gradually stealing back into my mind. At length I lay down to rest; and sleep visited my eyes. How long I had slumbered, I knew not: but as | gradually awoke, methought that sounds of moaning or lamentation were being wafted to my ears through the otherwise deep silence of the night. This idea was at first vague and dreamy, and seemed like the end of a vision that was slip- ping out of my mind: but as I became more com- pletely awake, the impression grew stronger. I listened with suspended breath: there could now be no farther uncertainty as to the reality of those sounds. They were assuredly the moanings and lamentations of one who seemed to be in deep mental distress; and yet they were so faintly audible that they would have been lost amidst the various sounds which prevail in the day-time. It was only now, in the profound stillness of the night, that they were thus perceptible to the ear. I rose up to a sitting posture, and listened ina sort of affright. The sounds ceased: I was reco- vering my presence of mind—and was just saying to myself that they must be the result of a dream which, though forgotten, had left a certain im- pression on my mind—when they recommenced. What could be their cause? from what quarter could they come? Lady Lilla’s chamber was situated on the opposite side of the landing, and therefore exactly facing mine. The chamber which intervened, in the front part of the house, was a spare bed-room, and untenanted. There was a back chamber on the same floor; and this was occupied by Lilla’s tady’s-maid. The other servants slept upon the storey above. It certainly might have been one of these domestics up-stairs who was moaning and lamenting either in illness or in a troubled dream: but still I was inclined to fancy that it must be either Lady Lilla herself or else her maid. At all events, I was determined to ascertain; for these sounds continued, Rising from my bed, I gently opened the door and listened. The sounds were now somewhat more audible; but still I could not distinguish their source. I stole forth upon the landing, into which the moonbeams dimly penetrated from the staircase window; and L listened at the door of the maid-servant’s chamber. I felt tolerably well assured that the sounds came not from within that room; and I passed on with my naked noise- less feet to the door of Lady Lilla’s chamber. Now the sounds were more audible; and they de- noted so much mental distress that I unhesita- tingly opened the door. ‘The wax-lights were burning upon the toilet-table; the bed was unoc- cupied ; the bedclothes were not disturbed: it was evident that as yelb her ladyship had not sought her couch. Nor was she in the room. All this I beheld at a glance. The next moment, however, a side-door opened; and Lady Lilla suddenly made her appearance,—thus emanating from a place which I believed to be her dressing-room, though IT had never been in it. I scarcely remembered afterwards what was the expression of countenance which she wore on thus abruptly coming into my presence: but I fancied that it was a look of either anger or affright, as if annoyed or terrified at hearing her chamber-door open. But hastily closing the door by which she had just emerged, she exclaimed, “ Good heavens, Ellen! what is the matter. Has anything disturbed you?—have I 2? “Pardon this intrusion,” I quickly responded; “but I feared that you were ill. I heard sounds of distress y “Yes—I have been indisposed—indeed for a short time I felt very very ill, and had a great mind to call up the servants. But I am now better; and I am truly sorry, my dear Ellen,” added Lilla affectionately, “that I should have disturbed you. I was in hopes that though I myself was suffering, you were enjoying the sweets of slumber.” a J LESTE SI TC TEE ODED EEE LID DDD LAL DOLE LLL LE OL LS CORNICE OOO 6S Com