Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 16: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. 3 “Poor Juliet?” said Mr. Norman; “she is a There I found Lord into the drawing-room. pood and affectionate daughter—she knew that I | Frederick lying upon the sofa: a book which he was already sufliciently afflicted by the loss which I had sustained wo Here he stopped short, and wiped from his eyes the tears which had gathered there at the recollec- tion of his late bereavement. * You perhaps wonder, Ellen,” he presently re- sumed, “that I have returned to England sooner than I originally intended: but a very few words will explain the cause—and after everything you have told me I am glad, for dear Juliet’s sake, that I have come back. The truth is, the solitude which I sought on the Continent had become in- tolerable ; and instead of diminishing my grief on account of my poor wife’s death, it only appeared to increase it. I may have written somewhat differently in my letters to you and dear Juliet, because I also was unwilling to afflict either of you; and besides, I endeavoured to persuade my- self that my mind was really and truly becoming tranquillized. At length I could endure no longer this separation from all whom I held dear in my native land; and my resolve was suddenly taken to return to England. Alas! 1 thought that my presence at River House would be welcomed with oy > “Oh, my dear sir!” I exclaimed, “you know that you will be welcomed! But still ee * Bat still,” added Mr. Norman, “I am pre- pared to find much unhappiness within those walls —an unhappiness to which it scarcely seems as if the presence of friends or relatives may be enabled to impart any solace! How long have you been there, my dear Ellen P” “T only arrived this afternoon—TI left London very early this morning. I came forth to breathe the fresh air for half-an-hour, little expecting to meet you 2 “And as little did I expect to meet you, my dear girl. But you are always at your post, Ellen: for where sorrow and sickness are, there- are you to be found !” We now reached River House: I would fain have invented some pretext to hasten forward and prepare both Juliet and Lord Frederick for Mr. Norman’s presence—but I could not adopt this course: he had kept me with him in conversation, and I dared do nothing to excite his suspicion that matters were worse than I had represented, or that anything had been kept back from his knowledge. My soul was full of trouble, and apprehension, and evil presentiments; for I dreaded lest some pain- ful, if not fatal crisis should be now at hand. For @ moment—but only for a moment—the thought had flashed to me that I would tell Mr. Norman everything, so that he might rather aid in con- cealing Lord Frederick’s fearful secret from Juliet’s knowledge ; but the idea was discarded as soon as formed. The secret was not my own—it was too terrible to violate—and besides I could not pos- sibly tell how Mr. Norman himself might act if it came to his knowledge that the husband of his daughter had been branded like a felon. We reached River House: the front door was opened—and just at that very moment Juliet was descending the staircase. With a cry of astonish- ment and joy she sprang forward and was received in her father’s arms. I availed myself of the op- portunity to glide up the staircase; and I sped had taken, had fallen from his hand and was upon the carpet,—the circumstance being a painful in- dication of the fearfully uneasy state of the young nobieman’s mind which could settle itself to no soothing avocation. On beholding me he started up to a sitting posture, exclaiming, “ What new calamity has happened, Miss Perey ?—for your looks are troubled !” “ My lord!” I hastily said, “ you are more than ever in need of all your firmness and self-posses- sion! Summon all your courage to your aid—for Mr. Norman has returned to England!” “ Mr. Norman ?” ejaculated the unhappy young nobleman, with a start. “ But he must not come hither—write to him at once—or hasten to him! Go !—speed, Miss Percy!” “Hush !—for heaven’s sake tranquillize your- self!” I said, in a tone of passionate and vehement entreaty. ‘“ Mr. Norman is here—beneath this roof! Juliet is now with him—in a few minutes he will be in your presence.” Lord Frederick sank back upon the sofa with a deep hollow groan; and in the incautiousness of his mental anguish he pressed his hands to his brow. Then it was almost a shriek or yell of agony which he sent forth from his lips: but I could not comprehend whether it was produced by physical pain arising from pressure on the branded part, or whether it arose from the mere fact of touching the sable ribbon which so vividly re- minded him of his horrible condition, “‘ Now, my lord,” I hastily went on to say, “if there were ever in your life a moment when you stood in need of all your fortitude, that moment is come—it is now present! IE have prepared Mr. Norman—” “Ellen!” ejaculated Lord Frederick, again starting up toa sitting posture—and his looks were full of the ghastliest horror: “have you dared violate “ * No, my lord! Of this you know that I am in- capable—or at least you ought to know it! If I have kept the secret from your wife, how much more should I seek to cover it with a veil in the presence of your father-in-law? So far as I am concerned, I have done all that human being can do to ward off a catastrophe:—the rest depends upon yourself !” I now glided forth from the drawing-room, and hastened to my chamber, where I put off my walk- ing apparel. As I glanced from the window, I beheld a carrier’s van stopping at the gate: a couple of trunks were being brought into the house; and this circumstance made me reflect that Mr. Norman might ‘possibly purpose to make a some- what lengthy sojourn beneath that roof. ** And this,” I said to myself, “is all the more probable ; for he will linger here in the hope of seeing happiness restored to his daughter’s mind. But every moment that this visit is prolonged, will increase the chances of a deplorable catastrophe ! The interview must now be taking place in the drawing-room. Shall I remain here? No! my presence may perhaps prove useful towards the pre- servation of the secret: a timely word thrown in may in such circumstances avert the dreaded re- sult! At all events I must watch the proceedings in all their staves, and act accordingly.” EOL Cc oOO)|K (©)