Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 159: what you’re looking at

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146 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. Such were the contents of the epistle which } “ Under all circumstances you were justified in act- contained the draft for a thousand pounds; and | ing as you have done.” though for an instant I was cruelly shocked at the “ And yet, Miss Percy, I again and again crave impression produced upon poor Mr. Macdonald by | your pardon! It has been a Comedy of Errors my letter, yet was all sense of annoyance speedily | mingled with more or less of Tragedy. If this absorbed in a feeling of wild tumultuous joy as I | were the time of the Caliphs, and these adventures found that I held in my hand the means of com- | happened at Bagdad, the reigning monarch would pletely vindicating myself to Sir Hugh Ward.| order the narrative to be written in letters of gold. With rapidity did my eyes. glance over Mr. Mac- | But pardon me for a few moments, Miss Percy! I donald’s letter: the Baronet must have seen that | have a duty to perform! It is to hasten at once a change was coming over my countenance—and | and inform my domestics But no matter what he must have observed likewise that I held im my|I shall say!” he suddenly interrupted himself. hands a draft for a sum of money while I was | “ Rest assured that I shall place your conduct in perusing the letter which had contained it. Thus, | the most refulgent light! J shall do you ample when I raised my looks towards his countenance, | justice, Miss Percy!” I perceived that it wore an expression of interesé, | curiosity, and suspense, « Ah, Sir Hugh!’ I exclaimed, with triumphant accents, “ you will not henceforth deny the possi- bility of the strangest coincidences !—beeause here perhaps is an event the most extraordinary of all Throughout an hour of accusations and recrimi-° nations, of chargings and fendings, of distress and _ insult for me, and of bewilderment for both, have I unconsciously possessed about my person the means of clearing up everything in a moment!” “ Ah! is this possible?” ejaculated Sir Hugh. “Possible?” I repeated; “it is doné! it is accomplished !” ; “No, no, Miss Perey !” he said, with @ sudden alteration of the countenance; “this id another | | 39 Tha Baronet bowed tespectfully and quitted the apartment, leaving the door gary open, doubtless @s & Signification that I was free to avail myself of the means of egress if I thought fit. But I had no fear now; and I resolyed to await his return. Thad confidence in him: I felt cértdin that he would prove a man of ‘honour when placed in those circumstances which demanded honourable action on his part. } In five minutes he came back to the room; and on presenting himself again, bowed with the ut- mosé respect. ** My carriage still awaits your orders,” he said ; “and I have spoken to my servants in such terms as cannot fail to enhance, and not depreciate, the character of Miss Percy in their estimation. They know me well, and are aware that I should not at- tempt to deceive them. Besides, it is fortunate, Miss Perey, that the footman belonging to the car- riage should have been addressed by you in such terms as now fully prove to him that you came here entirely under a mistake.” “One word more,” I said, “ere I take my de- parture! How was it that I came here aé all?” “T think that I can satisfactorily explain the oint, Miss Percy,” replied the Baronet: “but you must suffer me to give a few little prefatory détails, at which I will however glance as lightly and delicately as possible. I will commence by informing you that for some few years I have been travelling abroad. When on the Continent, I heard of your fame in England; and I longed to behold you. I therefore was not likely to delay this pleasure when my return to London afforded me the opportunity of enjoying it. Being a mem- ber of the committee of the theatre, and one of the largest shareholders, I thought I might usurp the privilege of passing behind the scenes. 1 saw you close; it wassufficient! I was struck by your beauty But on this point [ suppose I must say no more! I got into conversation with Richards: I will candidly confess that I dropped a hint of stratagem —— ; _ *Bnough, sit !? I imperiously interrupted him. “You ere now boasted of some good feéling—you declared that you would not wilfully outrage a female; proye that it was no idlé yvaunt on your part! There—read, Sit Hugh Ward !—and render me an act of justice!” — I handed him; the letter, which he literally snatched with avidity; and he rapidly ran his eyes over its contents, I saw that his counténance quickly underwent a change: the remnant of supercilious irony which had lingered there, yielded to seriousness—which in its turn merged into in- terest and respectful admiration as he raised his eyes towards me when he had finished the perusal of the letter. ** And here,” I said, “is Mr. Macdonald’s draft for a thousand pounds; and this, sir, belongs to you: for, thank God! I am at once enabled to repay the sum which I so innocently and uncon- sciously appropriated from your purse!” Sir Hugh Ward was naturally a generous man; and though somewhat of a libertine, yet he pos- sessed many excellent qualities—and he was never dishonourable in his amours, This was the charac- ter that on subsequent oecasions I heard of him. He now stood before me with a sorrowful and con- | something that was passing in my mind—an ide trite look: he was not confused nor embarrassed— | I had formed—a hope I had entertained Bu but his demeanour expressed the frankness and | he assured me that it was all useless, Ina word, candour of one who recognised at a glance how Miss Percy, if I had depended only on what Mr, unwittingly he had been led on toassume the most | Richards told me, I-should never have made any insulting attitude towards a virtuous woman, for | overture towards you at all; for if he were your which he was now reacy to demand.pardon. father or brother, he could not haye spoken in “ Miss Percy,” he said, “I humbly erave your | higher terms of your character. It was not from forgiveness. I haye outraged you in a manner | his lips that I gleaned the fact that your real name that would be the grossest and the most abomi-/| was Percy; but it was a whisper which I acci- nable, were it not that I have sinned in ignorance | dentally caught up, I scarcely know where. As of the fact that I was thus sinning!” for your place of abode, that was of course easily * Not another word, Sir Hugh!” I interjected. | oagersaine? 3 and then, Miss Perey, I had sufficient eee ee CORNICLOOOKS ssi sss (EO)