Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

Sea a a ee ee . 266 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. 7 there, it really seemed scarcely possible to believe that the being who was alike so handsome and so beautiful — and in whose countenance there ap- peared to be so much genuine sweetness of ex- pression—it seemed impossible, I say, to believe that this woman of transcending attractions was a very fiend of wickedness, possessing a heart capable of every iniquity! Such however I knew her to be; and therefore it was only for a moment that I was dazzled by her appearance as she burst upon my sight, more superbly handsome with her aquiline profile ahd grandly sculptured form than she had ever before seemed,—at the same time that she was more surpessingly lovely, in the blonde delicacy of her beauty and with her daz- zlingly fair complexion, than I was even wont to fancy her to be! “ No, my dear Ellen,” she went on to say, in the same tone of good-tempered raillery as before —and her pearly teeth shone between the vivid vermilion of her well-cut lips—“‘ I do not think that this good woman here’—and now she bent a half supercilious, half mischievously sly smile upon Dame Betty—“ will have the opportunity of taking any such wise and sagacious steps as you were recommending at the moment when I entered the room.” I continued to hold my peace. The gipsy- woman had given a sudden start as if about to say something; and then it seemed as if she likewise were smitten with the propriety of be- coming a listener at the outset, instead of question- ing or recriminating : and she therefore held her peace. Lady Lilla did not seem to be prepared for this :—for an instant she bit her lip, and I saw a slight flush sweep quickly over her counte- nance. But immediately regaining a perfect com- mand over herself, she said in a somewhat taunt- ing tone, bué still with a perfect lady-like grace, “ Oh, I see that it is for me to initiate the topics of conversation, and to start subjects for our dis- cussion. Well, be it so.” She then closed the door behind her; and the next moment bending on Dame Betty a look which a stranger would have fancied to be fraught with the most exquisite sweetness, she said, “Oh! I am not afraid to trust myself with you both, I can assure you! But even if it were otherwise, I might incur the venture, because there are those within call who are accustomed to do my bidding to the letter, despite the inordinately liberal offer of a bribe of five hundred guineas by cheque on a London banker :” and here her ladyship laughed with every appearance of the most joyous, hearty, ingenuous merriment. I of course perfectly well understood the allu- sion: but my countenance underwent not the slightest change —and I preserved a cold calm dignity, as well as a continued silence. “ As for you, my good woman,” proceeded Lady Lilla Essendine, again turning towards Dame Betty, i a OO 08S eee “ you have been particularly unreasonable of late : but I think I can convince you of the propriety of being reasonable for the future. In the first place your bitter vindictiveness against Edwin St. Clair has been misplaced and unjustifiable ; for Zarah perished as a suicide, and was not murdered by her husband. This you must know well! But it is not worth my while to argue the point’ Saf: fice it for you to know that you are bafiled in the revengeful aim which you were pursuing. At ten o’clock this morning, Edwin St. Clair stands be- fore his judges only for a few moments, and on/y for the purpose of being at once discharged, inas- much as the prosecution falls to the ground. Now, therefore, my good woman, it is high time that you should be reasonable—unless you choose to run the risk of counter-accusations that may be levelled against you. For it can be proved that you have been cunning in the manufacture of white roses——” “Ah! but you would not dare-to tell that secret!” ejaculated Dame Betty, with an accent that was fierce, though her looks expressed uncer- tainty and bewilderment, as if she were at a loss to comprehend how it was that Lady Lilla could be taking such a high ground, and assuming that calm air of defiance and self-possession which denoted a perfect sense of security. “You are mistaken, my good woman,” re- sponded her ladyship: “I should dare to accuse you or any one else whom I might know to be a dabbler in poisons—a follower in the footsteps of the Exilis, Tophanas, and Brinvilliers of other times.” I cannot explain how astounded I was at the manner in which Lady Lilla Essendine thus took the high position of one who in the strength of ecuscious innocence was prepared to turn round and accuse the guilty ! It was the most insolent hardi- hood and the most brazen-faced effrontery that ever were known: but yet over all there was the gloss. of so sweet a courtesy—the polish of so well- bred an air, that the effect was to bewilder and stupefy the imagination. “Yes,” continued Lady Lilla, now emphasizing the words significantly, “‘ there is the most perfect understanding between Captain St. Clair and my- self. All past differences are settled. In those differences there was weakness :—in our present union there is strength. I have no doubt, my good woman, that in sour malevolence you might proclaim charges and accusations against St. Clair and myself: but they would fall to the gronnd— no one would lend them a hearing—and you would only be exposing yourself to be dealt with by the law ag a base slanderer, or else as a rampant lunatic.” I looked at Dame Betty, and I perceived that Lady Lilla’s words were producing a strong im- pression upon her. I could have told the dame that it was only in the utter desperation of their position and circumstances that St. Clair and Lady Lilla had resolved to put the best face and the boldest front upon matters, and assume the high ground of terrorism and coercion in order to in- timidate and overawe those who might do them a mischief. I might also have reminded Dame Betty that Lady Lilla was interfering so actively on St. Clair’s behalf, because she felt that the same influence which brought down the thunder-cloud upon the head of one, would cause it to explode over the head of the other,—in short, that their interests had that frightful identity which could not fail to be associated with a corresponding iden- tity of guilt. But it was not for me to stir in the slimy depths of a morass where naught but poison- ous reptiles were agitating ;—it was not for me to direct one of the envenomed creatures to avoid the snares that were set for it by another! Gomichboo (E©)