Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 317: what you’re looking at

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

— —— 7 - — = — - -— —— - - - _ — —— — ————— —— ee | —_- 804 ELLEN PERCY: OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, him and Robert Burton again this evening in the “ No—not unless the crime became an absolute garden. And now, Miss, I must remind you of | necessity,’ was the reply. ‘“ And Oh, Miss Percy, what took place in your own chamber this evening, | here again is if that my own conscience tortures when you were performing your dinner-toilet ”? | me so terribly: for, alas! I was all the time con- “ Yes, Matilda. I produced a letter which you | soling myself with the idea that whatever might in reality had written, but which I attributed to | ensue, suspicion never would be attached to me— the penmanship of Agatha.” | that I therefore was safe—and that under all cir- * And sol saw, Miss, that you were firmly con- | cumstances, especially with the impressions dvwell- vinced Agatha was the guilty creature who had ing on your mind, if would be Agatha against been administering poison to a good kind mis-| whom the whole weight of accusation would rest, tress! Conceive the emotions I experienced! And thus was it that 1 recommended the two in- during that scene! Heavens! how I trembled | tending murderers to enter by that window ; for lest every instant I should betray myself!—and | I thought that if they were discovered, it would when you placed the letter in my hand, I turned | be supposed they had been in collusion with away under pretence of approaching the Jamp— | Agatha, as it was Agatha’s turn to sleep to-night but it was in reality to conceal my countenance | in the dressing-room. Thus you see, Miss, that from your view. Ah! you remember how]! ques- | all my own thoughts were selfishly bent on cal- tioned you, Miss—how eager and earnest I was to | culating how in every possible contingency I must obtain from you a single syllable which might | be safe !” serve as an explanation——” ‘“ Am I to understand, then,” I asked, “ that *T recollect the scene full well, Matilda,” I in- | Mr. Collingwood’s calculation was to accomplish terrupted her. ‘ And now proceed. What have | his crime so secretly and cunningly that all sus-« you next to tell me? You doubtless met Mr. | picion would rest upon Agatha as the authoress of Collingwood and Robert Burton, according to the | the foul deed ?” appointment of the preceding evening ?” “Yes—such was his main calculation: but “Yes, Miss Percy,” responded Matilda: “ and | after all, it was a bold stroke that he was playing, I told them how your suspicions had fallen upon | leaving a great deal to the chapter of accidents,” Agatha. But this had nothing to do with the| “And if it had succeeded,” I said,—“ and if. resolve which Mr. Collingwood had already taken: | Agatha had been accused of murdering her mis- for indeed I found that his mind was made up, and | tress—and if she had told the tale of how two he was determined to risk everything on the cast | persons entered by the window and perpetrated of a single die—to strike one last blow the crime——” “ And that blow,” I said, with a cold shudder, “Who would have believed such a tale ?”’ asked “‘ was to have been stricken to-night ?” Matilda. ‘ Nothing would have been stolen; and “ Yes,” rejoined Matilda. “ Alas! it was at my | Agatha must have represented the men as two instigation that after a brief debate Mr. Colling- | common-looking fellows coarsely dressed, with wood resolved to make his entry, along with| masks upon their countenances—for with these Robert Burton, through the window overlooking | were they provided, Then who would believe that the private staircase, and to which it was easy to|two low ruffians would have stealthily entered climb up by means of the grape-vine which ex- | that chamber to poison a lady for the mere sake tends its branches all over that part of the build- | of committing a crime, and without the object of ing. Oh, heaven! now again the scene—the!| plunder! Ah! rest assured, Miss, that poor awful scene presents itself vividly to my view!” | Agatha would have been deemed guilty—and even She sank back as if about to faint. I sustained | you yourself would have suffered her to go with the wretched young woman; and I held a glass | but little sympathy to the scaffold, for you would of water to her lips. She drank some, and soon | have been convinced of her iniquity.” revived. “ Alas, yes! i¢ must have been so!” I murs “ Tell me, Matilda,” I said,—“ for you remem- | mured, ber that your confession is to be complete—what was the manner of proceeding which the villain Collingwood had sketched out for himself and his wretched follower to adopt ? That it was murder, “ there was yet another calculation. Suppose that Agatha had slept soundly—suppose that Mr. Col- lingwood had penetrated unheard and unperceived I have no doubt into her ladyship’s chamber, and that she also was “ Oh! God forgive me! Yes, it was murder !’’| sleeping soundly—the fatal poison would have moaned the wretched Matilda: and again she dropped between her lips—and then let us shuddered visibly. suppose that the murderers succeeded in effecting “ But how did the assassins purpose to execute | a retreat as noiseless as their entry had been. their diabolical object ?” I inquired: and 1 kept | Well, Miss Percy, what would have happened ? on experiencing a succession of cold tremors as [| In the morning Lady Kelvedon would have been listened to these hideous details. found dead in her bed ; and there was the chance ““ Mr. Collingwood had provided himself with a | that her death might have been attributed to phial of deadly poison,” continued Matilda, “ a | natural causes !” single drop of which let fall betwixt the lips,| ‘ What!” I exclaimed; “ Mr. Collingwood cal- proves fatal! Oh, heavens! my strength seems | culated upon such a chance when he knew that I to failme! No! it is but a passing weakness! I | was at Kelvedon Hall, and that my mind was filled will proceed.—If Agatha and her ladyship slept, | with suspicions?” well and good !—but if otherwise, then there were = Ab, Miss Percy ! he scarcely knew what to two strong men ready to overpewer them both!” | think in reference to the policy you were pursuing. “ But was it purposed to kill Agatha likewise?” | There was however one thing which was as clear to T asked. him as the sun at noon-day,—which was that you * But this was not all,” resumed Matilda: - —— eonnicbooks.eo