Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 271: what you’re looking at

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

258 tower with a pointed roof; and I could scarcely keep back an ejaculation at all the varied and painful reminiscences which were thus suddenly excited in my brain; for I had now scarcely a doubt that I was once more to find myself a pri- soner in the ruins of the farm-buildings near Petersfield! At the sAme instant Dame Betty gave an abrupt start as she herself caught a glimpse of the same outline of buildings; and she nudged me with her knee, as much as to imply that our destination was about to be reached. And it was so: for in a few minutes the vehicle stopped at the entrance into the ruins; and the two ruffians who held the dame and me in their custody, commanded.us “ to alight—to be quick about it—and not to make any more talk, as we had done at the outset, for that if would be all useless and a mere waste of time.” I was determined not to afford these brutal per- sons any pretext or opportunity for treating me with violence ; and I therefore at oncé obeyed the mandate which was given, and descended from the chaise-cart. But while doing so—and likewise after having alighted—I surveyed the countenance of the driver with more attention than I had at first bestowed upon him, in order fo ascertain if it were one which might be supposed to give promise of good feeling or of personal selfishness, if either could be by any means appealed to. But I saw that the a impression L had teceived in refer- ence to ffs man was correct, and that he was altogether“as ill-looking an individual as the other persons concerned in the outrage. It was there- fore with a deep though bubdied sigh that I found myself compelled to abandon every hope in that quarter. As for Dame Betty, she now spoke not a word, but followed me out of the vehicle; and as the moonbeams played upon her countenance, they showed that its expréssion was that of the fiercest and most diabolically vindictive rage that ever was pent up in the human breast. The moment she had alighted from the chaise- cart, the driver handed down a basket to the two} . men who remained with us: and bidding them “good night,” he whipped his horse, and the equipage rolled away. I flung a hasty glance around, with the last wild hope that some way- farers might possibly be in sight: but the reader will bear in mind that the neighbourhood of these ruined farm-buildings has on a former occasion been described as exceedingly lonely—and not a human being now met my eyes except Dame Betty and the two ruffians who had us in their power. “This way, if you please,” said the man who had all along acted as spokesman and chief ; anc he began leading me into the midst of the ruins. I do not mean that he placed his hand upon me; but he made me keep very close behind him: he was evidently maintaining the strictest watch over nie; and I saw that the slightest attempt to escape would draw down his vengeance upon my head. . On the other hand; as I glanced behind, I perceived that the second ruffian did keep a firm grasp upon Dame Betty ; but this was most pro- bably to overcome her reluctance to proceed, rather than because the man was actually afraid that such a poor deerepid old creature could have the slightest chance of saving herself by flight. We passed into the midst of the ruins; and the — — ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. men conductsd us towards that out-building whick has been before described in the course of my nar- rative, and which evidently once served as an oast, or place for drying hops. We entered it : we as- cended the ricketty wooden staircase leading up to the room where the open trapdoor was in the ceil- ing; and there we halted for a few moments, while one of the men struck a light, for which pur- pose he had the requisite materials about him. A candle being lighted, was stuck into a bottle which happened to be lying on the floor ; and then the two ruffians led me and Dame Betty into the ad- joining room,—the very one which between eight and nine months back had served as a place of imprisonment for myself and Beda ! “ Now, here you are to remain for thé present,” said the man who acted as leader. “I can’t tell you exactly to a day or an hour when you will be set at liberty; but this much I promise—that if so be you keep yourselves quiet and don’t give me and my ma&té here no manner of unnecessary trouble, you shan’t be rendered very uncomfortable. As for your lives, nobody wants anything to do with them: and so you may make yourselves easy on that score. Look! theré’s wood to light a fire with; and you shall hayé food so soon as me and my pal here have unpacked the basket.” _ _ Having thus spoken the fellow quitted the room, followed by his companion; and then the sound of : bolt being driven into its socket reached my ars. “Do you understand what it all méans ?” I now quickly demanded of Dame Betty; for I was full of the most painful suspense. “Can it possibly be Mr. Collingwood has retutied to Hng- lan « “No; no, Miss!” interrupted the crone, with bitter accents: “ the present affair has got nothing to do with Mr. Collingwood! It’s very different altogether !”” “What! I ejaculated: “you understand it? you comprehend it all ?” 3 “ The more I strain my eyes to look, the clearer it all becomes,” said the dame. “ At first, I confess, iss, I was utterly at a loss to conceive what if meant; but in a very little while a suspicion began to steal into my mind—and while we were pent up in that chaise I reflected more and more ——” “Well, well,” I ejaculated; “and you say that you can now fathom the mystery ?” “Yes,” rejoined the crone; “and the words which that feliow has just spoken, confirm all my suspicions. He cannot tell us to an horr or toa day how long we are to be confined here !—our lives are notin danger! No! no!—it is not our lives, you see, young Miss, that these villains want! it is only our liberty that is tor a while suspended !—it is our persons that are detained !” “But why—why?” I demanded impatiently ; for I thought that Dame Betty, who was speaking with exceeding violence and fierceness, would never come to the point. “Oh! don’t you see?” she ejaculated; and it was almost a veritable yell of rage which burst from her lips: ‘you do not understand it! Ob, how blind! how stupid !” “And how insensate of you,” I cried, “to continue in this straum—still keeping me in the dark ' Gomichboo (E(o)