Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 299: what you’re looking at

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256 Sr ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, —— pleasant little adventures that ensued betwixt you | had the effect of at once bringing matters to an and me.” I confess that the assurance thus conveyed was grateful enough to my feelings; the more so that I had the certainty of its truth, inasmuch as I knew full well Melissa would not travel out of her way to invent anything of a nature calculated to afford me pleasure. : “ No sooner had I witnessed that little cireum- stance so full of suspicion,’ proceeded Melissa Harrison,—“I mean the stealthy gliding of that young gentleman across the landing to your cham- ber, when I said to myself, ‘Ob, oh! so Miss Ellen has her little intrigues and her affairs of gallantry after all!’—Then almost immediately afterwards I saw you peep out—you at once re- treated on catching a glimpse of me; and all this naturally confirmed the idea that you were dealing with a lover. So then a mischievous thought entered my head. I fancied that I would spoil your sport,—little foreseeing how the adyenture was to terminate. I hastily disapparelled myself, but took my clothes with me in case of need; and I glided into your chamber. Scarcely had I en- sconced myself comfortably in the couch, when you entered. As youdid not approach the bed nor draw aside the curtains, I saw that my strata- gem would succeed to the very last. You know what followed.” “IT do, Melissa,” I responded. think you have told me enough.” “ No, no!—just one moment more!” ejaculated Miss Harrison. “If we are doomed to catch colds, a minute more or less standing here, will not alter the matter and the whole business is so particularly amusing, it is really a delight to review the details.” “Well, then, proceed—and make haste,” I said. “Only conceive the feelings of that young fel- low,” continued Melissa, “ cooped up as he was in the wardrobe! TJFirst of all, when I hastened into the room and proceeded to occupy the couch, he naturally thought it was you: he supposed that you had disapparelled yourself in some dressing- room adjoining or close at hand. But he did not mean to quit his hiding-place unti: you should be fast asleep. I have no doubt he was feasting his imagination—gloating over your rich charms “4 “Tam going, Melissa,” I said. * Just one word more! It isreally too good to be lost—and you ought to know all, because it so nearly concerns you. Well, not many minutes had elapsed before our young gentleman heard the door open again and some one else enter. This was you: but he did not know it. How could he? He thought that you were already in bed—he dared not peep forth, for the doors of the ward- robe made a grating sound. He was horribly perplexed and bewildered: nay, more—he was terribly alarmed. ‘The only solution for the mys- tery which he could conjecture, was that you had some female attencant to sleep with you. Soon afterwards came the scene betwixt you and me. Then our young gentleman was perfectly as- tounded. Every moment he fancied that I should let out the fact that he was concealed in the room: for he saw full well that 1 knew it. And it really ts a wonder that I did not say something far more pointed than I did to you, which might have “ And now I explanation: but asa matter of course I fancied that you were privy to a lover’s concealment, and that therefore you understood the meaning of my allusions just as well as I did myself. You rushed from the room ; and so soon as the door closed be- hind you, I said aloud, “Come forth, young gentle- man, from whencesoever you are concealed !’—He made his appearance. I cannot tell you how im- mense was his agitation—how wild his excitement —at least as it was displayed in his looks. I on- joined him to be silent, or to speak only in whis: pers. Now, you must confess he is very good- looking, Ellen—he has beautiful eyes and teeth— nice curling black hair—he is pale and intellectual too——Indeed, I took a fancy to him—and I thought that the adventure was altogether so delicious cs “ T am now going, Melissa,” I said; and in ans other moment the door closed gently behind me. CHAPTER CXIV. THE PORTRAIT. I WAS again in my own chamber—but a chamber which I loathed the very atmosphere of, for it seemed to be feculent and contaminating. It was only as a matter of expediency that I had so far conquered my feelings as to return into a place which seemed to me to be so foul and polluted. But, as I have already said, I was anxious to avoid every occurrence that might be calculated to ergender gossiping remarks ; and moreover I was very far from desirous of having it known that I was at all acquainted with Miss Harrison, or whatever she called herself at the hotel ; for I fancied that she would not remain there very long without causing her true character to be suspected. The reader can scarcely conceive how intense was the loathing with which I had remained in her company for the last ten minutes in the adjacent chamber: but beyond every other consideration was the desire to ascertain precisely what view she now took of my conduct in respect to Reginald Barron. This point I had cleared up: I found that I still stood as high as ever in the estimation of Melissa Harrison ; for my virgin pride shrank from the idea of being suspected even by such a depraved and profligate creature as she. As for what I thought of Reginald Barron him- self, no words can describe the abhorrence and disgust which I experienced for that young man. Indeed, his avowals of love towards myself now seemed to me all the more insulting, inasmuch as he could have consented to become the passing paramour of a vile woman in whose way accident had thrown him. And then too, there was the base deliberate attempt which he had intended to make upon my honour,—concealing himself in my chamber for the purpose of outraging me in my - sleep! It was an accumulation of infamies. Were they to go unpunished P—was I to tolerate such flagitious conduct? But how could I chastise him? Not by the invocation of the law’s aid. No! I had already, as it were, consented to the hushing of the whole proceeding by not alarming the household. Besides, as I have repeated over a ee ee Se eee et re eee CORNICLOOC) SS (E(0)