Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 355: what you’re looking at

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

342 which I have just mentioned, “I appeal to you as a gentleman 24 “Sir, I am rejected cast off—refused by your daughter!” exclaimed Marano, turning abruptiy towards Charlotte’s father. ‘Think you that I can tamely endure <% “Sir, I beseech you,” interrupted Mr. Tremaine, — “JT implore that you will treat the matter with fortitude and magnanimity! You eannot com- plain of want of indulgence on our part, consider- ing how you have this night introduced yourself into the house , “ Charlotte,” demanded Ludovico, in a hoarse voice, as he turned abruptly away from Mr. Tre- maine, “is if your decision that everything is to be at an end between us—that forgiveness is impos- sible * “For heaven’s sake,” replied Charlotte, “let us argue the point no further! I have said that I wish you no ill—but on the contrary, I earnestly hope that you will experience happiness else- where——” “ Happiness?” echoed Marano, with the most scornful irony of accent: “happiness? Oh, the idea is preposterous! What happiness can there be for me? It is gone for ever !—and the person who has destroyed it—the one who has been to me as an evil genius—is you, Ellen Perey !—you/ And thus do I avenge myself!” | Quick as thought—quick indeed as the eye can wink—the Italian snatched the pistol from the hand of Mr. Tremaine, and levelled it at me. I started back with a scream of terror. At that in- stant the explosion took place! But at that very instant also, the door of the library opened, and a female figure appeared on the threshold—and with @ wild shriek this figure sank down there, in the open doorway! And ina moment the bosom of the white dress that she wore was dyed with the gushing blood. “Wretch !” thundered Mr. Tremaine: and he sprang towards Marano. The pistol was double-barrelled ; and one barrel was still charged. It was again quick as thought —acain quick as the eye can wink, that the weapon was pointed at me; and I caught the fierce lightnings of terrific hatred and demon-like vin- dictiveness which the eyes of the wretch darted forth. Towards him bounded Beda; and at the very instant that the second explosion took place, her hand struck the pistol upward. The bullet penetrated the ceiling—the Italian flung the wea- pon upon the carpet—dashed Beda away on one side and Mr. Tremaine on the other—and bounded towards the screen. The next instant we heard the glass door open and close with a crashing sound. Nothing could exceed the wild excitement which prevailed in the library—the cries and eja- culations of horror which were bursting forth— Mr. Tremaine rushing in pursuit of the Italian— Mrs. Tremaine and her daughter flying to raise the form that had sunk down upon the threshold —and I half fainting in the arms of Beda, who by her presence of mind had undoubtedly saved my life by striking the pistol upward at the moment when it was a second time levelled at me! who was the unfortunate victim of the first shot ? —who was bursting into the library at the very instant when the winged messenger of danger was | But | ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. issuing from the muzzle of the weapon? Alas poor creature !—it was Sarah Barron ! The whole household was now alarmed: the reports of the double-barrelled pistol had rung throughout the mansion—the cries and screams were likewise heard—and Mr. Tremaine was now exclaiming in a most excited state, in the back garden, “Murder! Haste in pursuit of the mur- derer! Help to catch the assassin !” The domestics, male and female, flocked towards the library ; and Charlotte’s sisters came speedily thither likewise. Colonel Tremaine was not the last to appear upon the scene. But there was now no longer a possibility of throwing a veil over Ludovico Marano’s visit to the mansion and its object. Everything was told—though necessarily in a hurried manner; and several men-servants sped forth in pursuit of the Italian. But what of Sarah Barron? She had fainted; and as I have already said, the front part of the morning wrapper which she had put on ere leay- ing her chamber, was dyed with blood. It was quickly ascertained that the bullet had penetrated somewhere in the right shoulder, just below the collar-bone; and as a matter of course a messenger was instantaneously despatched on horseback to procure medical assistance. Sarah was removed to her own apartment, and Mrs, Tremaine dressed the wound to the best of her ability. At all events, the blood was stanched; and this was naturally considered a great point gained. Slowly and with difficulty was Sarah brought back to consciousness: she at first seemed to be awakening from some wild and horrible dream; but when she raised her hand to the wounded part, the sensation of pain which she evidently experienced gave an impulse to her memory—her ideas were speedily collected —and she came to the knowledge of what had happened. Mrs. Tremaine, Charlotte, and myself, who were now in the room with her, all three said the most consolatory things that we could possibly think of ; and we explained everything which had occurred—for Sarah was naturally most anxious to be enlightened on this head. She told usin her turn, that first of all she was struck by hearing voices speaking in an excited manner—then she heard Mrs. Tremaine ascend to Charlotte’s cham- ber to fetch her down stairs—and fancying that something was wrong or that something unpleasant was taking place, she had risen from her couch, she had thrown on a wrapper, and she had de- scended to the library. It was no wonder that Sarah should have heard the unusual sounds of voices in the library at that hour, inasmuch as her chamber was precisely overhead. The pursuit after Ludovico Marano proved in- effectual; and the domestics returned without having been enabled to get upon his track. But long before the menials came back with this intel- ligence, medical assistance had arrived ; and the surgeon at once proceeded to extract the bullet. The operation was a painful one: it occupied some time—but he succeeded in accomplishing it. Sarah asked him with much anxiety whether he thought that there was any danger? THe hesitated to an- swer : she pressed him—he spoke evasively ; and then she said that so far as she herself was concerned, she was resigned to whatsoever might ‘be her fate; but that she had a mother and brother who ought to be made acquainted with EORNICLOOOKS Geo)