Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 220: 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. 207 I answered: “ I ) “ No, my lord, I thank you,” have something of importance “Ab! if Peaseblossom were here, the Duke, “he certainly would not refuse * But as Mr. Peaseblossom is not here,” I said, somewhat angrily, “I must beg of your Grace to deyote a few minutes’ attention to the humb-er individual who is now addressing you.” ._ “ No—not humbler, Miss Percy!” he exclaimed, filling a bumper of sherry; “for you know the fair sex r “Do listen to me, my lord!” I interjected: “it is something which closely concerns you In short, | wish to speak of Mary Glentworth.” : bf! Proceed, Miss Percy,” said the Duke. “If Mary requires a cheque, I cannot forget that she has certain claims t “It is just this very Soint,, my lord,” I again interrupted him, ‘‘on which I wish to disabuse you. In short,’ I added, thinking it better to come to the point at once, “ Mary Glentworth has no claim whatever upon you—as indeed you have noue on her ; for she is not your daughter!” “Ah! what?” ejaculated the Duke, with so sudden a start that he upset the glass of sherry into the dish of pheasants. ‘“ Not my daughter P”’ “No, my lord. There is a strange history which you have to learn; and when you are in possession of all the details, you must not blame the memory of the deceased lady ve _“TI have no inclination to reproach the memory of any one who is dead,” observed the Duke; “for I cannot see what earthly good it would do me, But you astonish me in respect to Mary! If she is not my daughter, of course she must be somebody’s and perhaps you will tell me os “Your Grace, shall know everything,” I inter- bv him, “Indeed, it is by Mary’s special exclaimed 33 request that 1 have lost no time in making this revelation.” “ Pray continue, Miss Percy,” said the Duke. “TI will take this other wing and refill my glass, while you go on talking.” I gave the Duke the necessary particulars,— making my history however as short as possible. The nobleman continued to eat and drink ; and the first excitement of suspense being, over, it was with no very considerable display of emotion that he listened to the narrative. When I had con- cluded, he said, “ Well, this is one of the strangest histories I ever heard in my life; and yet Il am convinced it is true because all the parts fic in so accurately and nicely, But Ah! I hope it will be kept secret from my son Herbert—or else he will now perhaps be for making a fool of him- self “With that business, my lord, I can have no concern,” I said: “but itis now my duty to add that Mary Glentworth is beneath this roof; and I give your Grace the information inasmuch as it is scarcely possible you can avoid meeting her.” “Ah, she is here?” ejaculated the Duke. “ Well, then, the best thing to be done is to send Herbert off directly. Yes—I can easily devise an excuse: he must go up to London to break to his younger brothers and sisters the sad tidings of this accident which has befallen’ their mother & “Yes, my lord,’ I said; “that will be the better plan.” : : (COMMUC I then sped from the room, in. order that I I might have an opportunity of saying a word or two to the Marquis of Dalrymple before his father saw him, I found him in the drawing- room ; and I hastened to say, “ You just now ex- pressed your desire that Mary and yourself should not meet again under existing cireumstances— that is to say, not for the next few months.. An excuse for your immediate Jeparture will be pre- sently furnished by your father himself. He knows that Mary is beneath this roof “Does he know that we have met?” inquired Herbert, but with an air of more or less indif- ference; for notwithstanding his natural good qualities, 16° was impossible _ he could entertain much filial respect towards such a father. “His Grace does not know that you have met,” I answered: “indeed, I dropped not the slightest hint to his lordship of anything which has this day occurred in reference to Mary and yourself, And now, my lord, it were well if you were to delay not in taking your departure.” The Marquis of Dalrymple proceeded to the sick chamber, to ascertain precisely the condition in which his mother then was; and to his j joy he found that Mr, Singleton was now enabled.to give a much better account of his patient than might have been anticipated, erbert had therefore all the less hesitation in taking his departure at once and leaving his mother there, The two travelling-equipages had been taken to the little inn in the village of River, so that they might be put up there until they were required, and that the requisite repairs might be effected to the one which had been upset in the ditch. Orders were now sent off to get the other carriage in im- mediate readiness, as the Marquis of Dalrymple proposed to continue his journey to London with- out delay. To be brief, he took his departure without again seeing Mary Glentworth; but on bidding me farewell, he whisperingly reiterated the assurance that his resolution in reference to her would never be changed, and he begged that he might from time to time be permitted to corre- | spond with her. I had now leisure to seek an opportunity of being alone with Juliet, I had as yet everything to make known to her,—the same tale in reference to Mary Glentworth to tell over again, But I had more to reveal to her than I had done to the Duke of Ardleigh ; for I hesitated not to acquaint Juliet with the exceedingly generous conduct of Herbert Dalrymple towards, Mary, and the en- gagement which now subsisted between them. Juliet was naturally much astonished at the state- ment which thus met her ears ; but she was much rejoiced on Mary Glentworth’s account. After this interview with Juliet, | repaired to the drawing-room, where I found the Duke of Ardleigh. I was going to speak to him on a par- ticular subject ; but he at once anticipated me by exclaiming, “ Ah! I am glad you have come, Miss Perey! I was just thinking at the moment how I could get to speak to you again; for I do not feel altogether comfortable beneath this roof ‘+ “You mean, my lord,” 1 said, “on account of Mary Glentworth 2” “ Hxactly so,” he replied. “I intended no imputation against the hospitality of your friend Lady Frederick Ravenscliffe,—for that is unex- OOK (SO)