Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 325: what you’re looking at

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J —— See ee ee err 312 re ee ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. ao it ay es al time I experienced no small degree of anxiety. | dered whether she had yet arrived at tho Hall—~ At length she returned; and I at once saw by and if so, of what nature our meeting would be the expression of her countenance that she had no | —whether she had discovered that I had returned good news to communicate. Her explanations were soon given. She had called at the address specified by Dame Betty : a woman named Stur- ton, with two or three children, had lived there for a while, until a year back; but she had left, being impelled by the direst destitution to seek refuge in the workhouse. To the workhouse Beda had repaired: the object of her inquiry was not there; and after some difficulty’ she succeeded in ascertaining that Mrs. Sturton and three children had only been for two months in the workhouse— that they had then left—but Beda’s informant knew not whither they had gone. The porter of the workhouse-gate recollected, however, that there was a certain woman in the establishment at the same time, with whom Mrs. Sturton was intimate ; that woman had also left, and the porter knew where she lived. Away Beda sped to continue her inquiries; and she had succeeded in finding the woman thus referred to. It ap- peared that she had quarrelled with Mrs. Sturton, and had lost sight of her for a long time until a few weeks back, when she happened to meet her in quite a different part of the town from that in which she herself resided. They had not then spoken; but Mrs. Sturton had the appearance at the time of being plunged into very deep distress. This woman to whom I am alluding, promised Beda that she would make inquiries and institute a search after Mrs. Sturton—my faithful young dependant promising a handsome reward if success should crown the woman’s endeavours ; and she told her to write to me at ‘Tremaine Hall. This was all that could be done for the present ; but I hoped that matters were put in a train for some more satisfactory development. On the following morning I proceeded in a chaise to Tremaine Hall, which was a few miles distant from Stafford. I found that it realized the description which Miss Parks had given me of it, according to a picture which she had seen. It was a very large edifice, presenting two or three styles of architecture, with a comparatively modern frontage. It was almost entirely surrounded by trees, some of which were of enormous growth; but they were now nearly all denuded of their foliage, for it was close upon the end of Decem- ber that I visited it. It stood in the midst of its own ample domain; and I could readily compre- hend that in the summer time the entire scenery must have a very beautiful appearance. It was two or three days after Christmas-day that I thus arrived at Tremaine Hall; and most cordial was the welcome that I received. There was something truly parental in the affectionate manner with which Mr. and Mrs. Tremaine greoted me: Colonel Tremaine was there—and he expressed his joy at meeting me again: Charlotte and her five sisters crowded round me; and I felt just as if I were an old acquaintance who had known them all for several years. Such indeed was evidently the feeling with which they sought to imbue me:—in the frank generosity of their dispositions they sought to place me at my ease at once, and overstep in a moment all the barriers of a cold formality. I looked round for Sarah Barron; but I did not see her. I won- in so strange a manner the portrait which her brother had sent me—or whether, on the other hand, she remained altogether unsuspicious of the existence of anything peculiar between himself and me. I was conducted into an old-fashioned parlour, where luncheon was presently served up; and after the repast Charlotte offered to show me the chamber that was allotted for my reception. I accompanied my warm-hearted friend thither; and I found that there was an arte-room which was to be occupied by Beda. I thanked Charlotte for this arrangement, as I liked to have my faithful dependant near me. I then inquired after Miss Barron; and Charlotte exclaimed, “Oh, she will be here this evening. You know she is staying with her mother and brother at Petersfield; for she wrote to us the other day, and in the letter she said that she had just experienced one of the greatest pleasures which she could possibly be per- mitted to enjoy—for that you had called upon her, As she had not seen her mother for so long a time, my parents gave me permission to write and tell her that she need not hurry in coming hither; and thus she has extended her visit to Petersfield a little longer than she originally purposed. But she is sure to be here this evening; for we are going to have a few friends,in honour of your arrival—and I know that Miss Barron would not miss the opportunity of testifying, along with others, her joy at your presence. But come, my dear Ellen! let me show you over the mansion!” I accordingly accompanied Charlotte: she took me through the different rooms—and I was much interested in many of the objects which she pointed out tome. There were several fine old pictures by eminent masters: there were some curious relics, such as armour, vases, drinking-cups, and other articles of the Elizabethan age, to which period the existence of the greater portion of the dwelling owed its date: and there was a choice library, the arrangements of which had been com- pletely modernized, and the shelves of which were filled with all the works of the best authors. “ But there is still something,” I said, with a smile, “ which you have not yet shown me, but of which I received a hint from our mutual friend Jane Parks,” “Oh! Dll be bound to say I know what you mean !” ejaculated Charlotte. “ It is the haunted room—is it not ?” “ Yes,” I responded ; “ and I see that you do not treat the matter so seriously and gravely as if you really believed in the fact ?”’ “ When I was a little girl, it was different, my dear Ellen,” rejoined Charlotte. “‘ But I do really believe that Lavinia and Emilia’—thus alluding to her two young sisters, whose ages were respec- tively thirteen and fifteen—“ are foolish enough to entertain a superstitious dread of the haunted apartment. But come! you shall see it!” Miss Tremaine led the way along a passage which we had before threaded, and which commu- nicated with a small landing-place and a staircase. I had noticed this landing and this staircase be- fore, for we had already passed that way in going over the house. Indeed, there were three stair- SS (E(0) ECOMICLOO© | ee AS SSS —EE a SS EE a