Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 327: what you’re looking at

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314 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. the case now. But since you wish to see the room, there is not the slightest reason why your curiosity should not be gratified.” Thus speaking, Charlotte Tremaine took down a key from a corner where it hung upon a nail; and she opened the door of the haunted room. My first idea was that I was about to enter a gloomy looking apartment, with the shutters closed, and the curtains drawn over the windows. But nothing of the kind! It was a large airy room, well lighted, and of cheerful aspect—about the very last indeed which according to supersti- tious prejudice one would be 4uclined to associate with anything supernatural! eS ‘There is an inner door, I perceive,” i said, after looking around this really comfortable chamber. | “ Yes—that is the dressing-room,” answered Miss Tremaine: and she threw open the door. It was a convenient toilet-chamber; lighted by means of a window on the roof; for it was 80 situated in the interior of the dwelling as to be unable to be provided with a window in tlie side wall. “ Well,” I said, “if this be your haitited apartment, Charlotte, I would just as sodn ase it as that which you have assigned to mo; an I know that Beda would be quite as happy and contented in the little dressing-room as in the ante-chamber where she is to sleep next to my own room.” | “ But as there is no necessity, my dear Ellen,” said Charlotte, laughing, “for you to fun the slightest risk of frightefhing your own itiagina- tion or thatof your pretty black-eyed servant, we will not talk any more of your occupying these rooms,” ) * Oh, certainly,” I rejoined, “it would seem like a piece of foolhardinéss on my part to voluntedr such a thing! But suppose, for instance, that on arriving here I had found the. mansion Hey with guests, and only this apartment with the little dressing-chamber unoccupied, I would have most cheerfully accepted these accommodations for myself and Beda. You were telling me, however, just now, that there is a legend connected with the room, and that vulgar superstition, not con- tented with bestowing upon it one ghost, has bounteously exdowed it with a second——” At this moment we heard the clear musical voice of Lavinia, exclaiming along the passages, “Charlotte ! Miss Percy! where are you? Here is Miss Barron arrived!” “ Ah! let us go and see her!” ejaculated Char- lotte. ‘You must restrain your curiosity, my dear Hilen, about the ghosts. But it shall be gratified another time!” We accordingly quitted the Haunted Chamber ; and Lavinia joined us on the landing. “ Ob, Charlotte!” she cried, with a half-fright- ened look; “ how could you take Miss Percy there ? Suppose something dreadful presented itself to your view “ “Do not be foolish, Lavinia,’ interrupted Miss Tremaine, ‘So you say that Miss Barron is urrived P” “'Yes—she has just come. She got here earlier than she expected—and she is asking for both of you. Oh, I am so glad she is come 1” “We are glad, my dear Ellen,” said Charlotte, Ce an turning to me, “to welcome Sarah back again ; for we do not treat her asa mere governess, you know—we look upon her as one of ourselves, she is so amiable and good—so lady-like and pretty !— and then too, she has been with us for some years, and has always taken such an interest in every- thing which relates to the family !” We proceeded along the passage; and on the landing of the principal staircase we met Sarah Barron. She immediately embraced Charlotte : then she took me by the hand, pressing it most fervently,—her truly beautiful countenance being all wreathed in smiles. By her demeanour towards me I presumed that she had heard nothing in reference to the affair of the portrait, which was at all calculated to produce any restraint or em- barrassment in her feelings with regard to the terms on which she should stand towards me. As the day was exceedingly fine—bright and frosty—Mr. Tremaine proposed that we should ail sally out for a good walk through the park ; and to this a general assent was given. I walked principally with Charlotte ; Miss Barron devoted herself specially to her two charges, Lavinia and Emilia. A couple of hours wore agreeably passed : we reached the house at three o’clock ; and then we sat conversing in the drawing-room until dinner was announced at five. Afterwards we separated to our respective chambers to dress for the évening party. _ At about eight the carriages began to drive up to the entrance of the Hall; and the “few friends;” as Charlotte had represented them, tiitned out to be some fifty or sixty guests; so that the dtawing-room, as well as the apartments devoted to catds and to music, were speedily filled. I found WE the object of general interest and attention ; wis treated with the utmost courtesy, friendliness; and respect ; and I found that my profession of afi actress exposed me not to a single mortification beneath that hospitable roof, nor amongst the friends whom the Tremaines had gathered arotind them. Mr. Tremaine requested me to sing; and a young baronet with whom I had just been dancing, conducted me to the piano in the music-room. He himself was a good musi- cian ; and he turned the leaves for me. Mr. Tre- maine sat close by: Mrs, Tremaine and Charlotte stood behind me; and the moment the rumour spread throughout the rooms that I was about to sing, all the guests came crowding into the apart- ment where [ was thus seated. I cannot speak of my own performance further than to remark that it seemed to give the liveliest satisfaction; amounting in some parts of the room to a perfect enthusiasm ; and amongst those who afterwards complimented me in terms of the most fervid ad- miration, was Sarah Barron. All of a sudden there was a visible confusion at the doorway of the apartment—voices began ejaculating something—the words “flood” and “canal” reached my ears; and now all attention was directing itself towards the entrance of the room. “There is something the matter, Mr. Tre- maine!” I said, in a hurried tone to the master of the mansion, who had taken up the music-book from which [ had just been playing. Oh, papa!” cried Lavinia, making her way through the crowd and rushing with affrighted GEomicboo