Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. vanity—sufficient egotism No! it was not that, for on my soul [ am not inordinately vain! How- ever, without dwelling on the point, I resolved to make a bold attempt—while at the same time I studied to invest the proceeding with a degree of delicacy that might gloss over its audacity. Hence the idea of the transmission of the thousand pound note. Ah, Miss Percy! I now feel humiliated and ashamed—and yet after all it was only the course which any man of the world “Pray proceed with your explanations, Sir Hugh Ward,” I interrupted him; “ and spare all comment.” “ As I was informing you, Miss Percy, I adopted the idea of transmitting the bank-note, with my name and address written upon the back of it. Otherwise it was utterly unaccompanied by any sign or evidence of what my purpose was or what my hope might be. I naturally concluded that on receiving such @ missive you would wonder who the note could come from, and you would seek to learn, so that either in your indignation you might restore it to the source whence it emanated, or that in a softer and less virtuous mood you might be enabled to communicate with the bestower of the gift. In a word, Miss Percy, I felt as confi- dent that you would behold the name and address upon the back of that bank-note, as that I am a being of flesh and blood having the honour of this moment addressing you! Who could have dreamt of such a coincidence as that you at the self-same time should be expecting precisely a similar sum, neither more nor less, from another quarter! How- ever, I see that you are getting impatient ¥4 “IT have told you, Sir Hugh Ward, that my friend Miss Glentworth is ill. Besides, my ab- sence will alarm the household—I am anxious—I aro nervous for many reasons * *“T will detain you, Miss Percy, but a few minutes longer. For my own sake I hope that you will consent to remain for that short space, and listen to the rest of my explanations ; because although I am not over nice nor particular, as I just now observed,— yet on the other hand I would not rest willingly under the imputation of performing an outrageous or atrocious deed against a young lady who for so many reasons ought to be enabled to command chivalrous treatment on the part of the male sex.” “JT will remain and listen to you for a few minutes, Sir Hugh Ward,’ I hastily rejoined. * And now I beseech you to proceed.” “ Well, Miss Percy, the note was sent,” con- tinued the Baronet; “ and I can assure you that throughout the remainder of that day and the next I was full of suspense to see whether it would be kept or returned to me. It was not returned; several days passed, and still the bank-note came not back to my hands; but still all was silent likewise on your part. Whatdidit mean? Did you purpose to keep the bank-note and treat me, the donor, with contempt? No! I could not think it. Richards had assured me that you were the very paragon of virtue: but yet, I thought to myself, a paragon of virtue would assuredly scorn the idea of keeping the bank-note under any con- sideration whatsoever. Then likewise methought that since you had kept it, you must be merce- nary: and if mercenary, you could scarcely be virtuous; or if still virtuous, that you must have 147 your price. Pardon me for entering into these details—but you must acknowledge, Miss Percy, that when I found the bank-note did not come back, it was natural enough that I should thus deliberate with myself. Then I thought it was just possible it might have been intercepted, and that it had fallen into other hands. I made cer- tain inquiries, and I found that the note had been paid into the Bank of England: but whether by you, or any other person, I could not of course ascertain. Nevertheless, I indulged in the hope that it was yourself who had thus made use of it: and I moreover flattered myself that you were merely awaiting some favourable opportunity to honour me with an interview. Time was however passing on, and you made no sign—all was still— a profound silence on your part! Then, after some reflection, I said to myself, ‘I have been very remiss and neglectful: Miss Percy studies to keep up all possible appearances; and perhaps, afraid to take the initiative upon herself, she is waiting for me to afford her an opportunity of honouring me with her presence.’—I must inform you that the young footman who is attached to the carriage, was taken into my confidence in respect to my de- signs and hopes in this particular matter. So I bade him attend at the theatre with the carriage on each evening when you appeared ; for it natu- rally occurred to me that you could not fail to perceive that it was thus constant in its attend- ance—that you would understand what it meant— and that you would therefore avail yourself of the equipage. Something to all this effect did I tell the young footman; and I bade him act with vigi- lance and discretion. I knew that on all these points he was thoroughly to be trusted. But to be brief, Miss Percy, you now understand how it was that my domestic, acting entirely in accord- ance with my instructions % “ Yes—I perceive—I comprehend it all!” I ex- claimed. “He thought that I was voluntarily entering your carriage, with a perfect conscious- ness of whose it was M “And thus, when at the door of the theatre, and again likewise at my own door,” rejoined Sir Hugh Ward, “ you spoke of the Marquis of Cam- panella, my domestic naturally imagined that you were making use of that name in order that the passers-by should hear it, and that every species of injurious suspicion should thus be averted from yourself. My servant therefore—as he has just informed me—proclaimed that name aloud, in- wardly chuckling at the idea that he was skilfully taking up a cue which you were giving him, and that he was playing out the game according to your prompting. Now, Miss Percy, I have no more to say—uniless it be to reiterate my regret, as well as the sense of humiliation and shamo which I experience & | “ Enough, Sir Hugh Ward!” I interrupted him, “T might have been rendered the victim of cir- cumstantial evidence and of strange coincidences: but thank God! everything has been elucidated at last. There, sir, is the cheque for the amount which is your own.” “ Miss Percy,” said the Baronet, “if I only dared implore you to retain that cheque Ah! do not start indignantly! JI am incapable of offering you additional outrage or insult! Butif you would retain that amount, and expend it on EORNICLOOOLK< (©)