Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 194: what you’re looking at

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ee ee ~ i rr ee ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. that she was very vain and conceited, on the other hand I had found her to be equally credulous and silly. The gipsy-woman’s back was turned to- wards me—and so I did not recognise her: for otherwise I should have known who she was, as IL have on two or three occasions seen Dame Betty. She was dressed in a mean shabby styie, with an old brown cloak, and a stick: but I had not an idea who she was,—for I only know the hag slightly. It immediately struck me that she was pretending to tell Emma’s fortune; and I was half inclined to go and interrupt the proceeding— when it struck me that I had no business to in- terfere—and besides which, that Emma in her mingled pride, conceit, and vanity, would be sure to take it in ill part and bid me mind my own business. Then I thought of re-entering the house and mentioning the circumstance to Mrs. Holman, so that she might gently remonstrate with Emma and prevent her from foolishly parting with her money in future. But then I reflected that the housekeeper was a strange-tempered woman, and that she might dismiss Hmma from the service; so that I should have been sorry to become the cause of the poor girl losing her place. Thus I did nothing in the matter, but re- turned into my master’s own house. I soon ceased to think of the affair—hours passed on— and it was between four and five o’clock when Sir Robert Temple sent me to the post-office with his letters. Ata little distance from Mr. St. Clair’s house, I beheld two figures through the dusk which was beginning to close in; and I again re- coguised Emma and the old gipsy. But still I knew not it was Dame Betty; for on perceiving a person coming, Emma gave the gipsy some- thing—I could not distinguish what. The crone thrust it under her cloak—and they separated: the dame hastened off in one direction; and Emma, being compelled to pass me on her way to the back gate of ber master’s house, uttered an ejacu- lation on recognising me. ‘Don’t say that you saw me talking to an old gipsy!’ she entreatingly exclaimed ; ‘for Mrs. Holman would be so angry, and would turn me away!’—I promised that I would not say anything unnecessarily to do her an injury; and I was beginning to remonstrate when she flippantly ejaculated that ‘it was her business,’ and glided away from me. I proceeded to the post; and perhaps half-an-hour elapsed be- fore I returned as I had other little commissions to execute, one of which was for Mrs, Holman her. self. Therefore on my way home, I called at Mr. St. Clair’s; and on entering the servants’ hall, I found the domestics in great excitement and con- sternation. But Emma was not there. SBefore I could utter a single syllable of inquiry, the par- lour-bell rang furiously twice. That was a signal for Mrs, Holman. The worthy woman was greatly troubled; and she rushed up-stairs. I asked what was the matterP One of the footmen told me that his master, on returning home about ten minutes back, had retired to his chamber to dress for dinner, and that he had quickly discovered the disappearance of a curiously carved rosewood box from a cupboard in his dressing- room. It further appeared that when this an- Douncement was made in the servants’ hall, Emma had changed colour, and had lovked altogether so exceedingly frightened that attention was imme- 181 diately riveted upon her. Mrs. Holman de- manded if she knew anything of the box? She threw herself shrieking upon a chair, exclaiming something about a gipsy. ‘This was reported to Mr. St. Clair, who immediately summoned Emma up into the parlour, where she had been but fora few minutes when the bell rang for Mrs. Holman, as I have just described. I did not say anythin; about having beheld Emma with the old gipsy; but it struck me that the very object which I had seen the girl give the crone, was of a size and ap- pearance to correspond with that box; and I won- dered at the strange coincidence that another should have been intriguing to obtain that which I myself had for six or seven weeks been labouring to procure. In a few minutes down came Mrs. Holman, crying bitterly and saying that Emma had confessed to the circumstance of having been cajoled by the gipsy into procuring the box by aid of false keys which the crone had given her for the purpose of opening the different cupboards till she should find it. It furthermore appeared that the gipsy had held out all kinds of brilliant promises, about a lord for a husband, and a car- riage and four, and all kinds of nonsense of that sort, to induce the girl to procure the box, which the crone had promised to return on the morrow. Emma said that she was overawed by the fact that the gipsy should possess the knowledge of such a box. being in the house at all; and when she found that box—answering, as it did, the exact description given of it by the crone—she was more than ever convinced that she was gifted with preterhuman powers. Mrs. Holman had been inclined to discharge the girl on the spot: but Mr. St. Clair suddenly seemed to make light of the matter—promised Emma his forgiveness— —and expressed his wish that nothing more might be said on the subject—while as for putting it in the hands of the police, he could not think of bringing such a ridiculous scandal upvn his household. There the matter ended; and [I hast- ened away to bring you, Miss Percy, the informa- tion which I feared would vex you very much. But again I assure you, Miss Percy, that it has not been through s “ And I again assure you, William,” I inter- rupted him, “that it is by no means necessary for you to make so many apologies or afflict your- self upon the point. And now tell me—did you happen to hear whether Mr. St. Clair exhibited any particular emotion on receiving a description of the gipsy woman ?-—for such a description he was certain to demand by “TI can give you no information, Miss, on the subject,” rejoined Lardner. “Mrs. Holman did not breathe a syllable in allusion thereto. But this she did say, that it was quite astonishing how suddenly her master’s manner changed, and how from the excitement. of furious anger his mood altered all in a moment into the calmest compo- sure, when he insisted that nothing more should be said upon the subject. And now tell me, Miss Percy—is there anything I can do for you? are there any means by which I may atill testify my zeal and devotion towards you?” “ No, William,” I responded: “ there is nothing now which you can do for me.” I expressed my gratitude for his good inten- tions ; and I bade him remain to pass the rest of eee ee a a I ALR LLL LALLA (EO) JOO SS