Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 357: what you’re looking at

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

Sl _ —eo — —_ - 344, ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. a a purchases as were required. Sometimes I would, honourable love and marriage, and the certainty of take my young pupils with me if the weather was | being enabled to overcome the prejudices of his fine; but if otherwise, I lef¢ them at home in} parents, my heart bounded with exultation : for I the charge of an old nurse who was a most trust- | naturally thought how proud and grand a thing it worthy person. I am not going to make my story | would be for me to become a nobleman’s wife,— a long one—I do not wish to weary you with de-| a Viscountess at once—a peeress at a future time ! tails; nor is the topic so pleasant as to induce me! Those meetings grew more frequent : they did not to dwell upon it. Suffice it therefore to say that! take place only at Stafford, but in the neighbour- on the occasion of one of those visits to Stafford, I! hood of the Hall; and I, believing that he was encountered an individual with whom accident | honourable and loving—affectionate and faithful— rendered me acquainted—a nobleman bearing a| incapable of deceiving me,—alas! I was too full name which has often and often exercised au in- | of confidenco——-and—and—I fell !” fluence upon the destinies of persons beneath this; Sarah Barron paused and covered her face with roof.” her hands: but she did not now weep—neither did ‘Whom can you possibly mean ?” I asked, sud- | she sob—no, nor did so much as a sigh agitate her denly smitten with a suspicion that the young, bosom. But there she lay for two or three nobleman thus alluded to was not altogether un- | minutes, perfectly motionless—buried, so to speak, known to me. in the very trance of thought itself. Sarah Barron wiped away a tear from her eye; ** Now, my dear Sarah,” I said, when she at and she said, “ I mean Viscount Ravenscliffe.” length moved her hands from her face, “ you have “Ah!” I ejaculated—for my suspicion was cone {| told me enough—TI can divine all the rest. OF firmed. “This very day I met him!” what need to revive the most unhappy me: ‘You met him ?” said Miss Barron, with surprise | mories ?”’ and anxiety depicted on her countenance. “ What!} “Ellen,” she answered, in a firm tone, “ I have you know him ?” said that I would tell you everything; and I am “Yes —slightly,” I answered. ‘‘ His brother | determined to do so. I wish you to see whether I Lord Frederick, who died about six months ago, | have been adequately punished for the weakness of was married to my most intimate friend ——-” which I have been guilty.” , “Miss Norman!” ejaculated Sarah. “Ah, yes!| “I am sure you must have been!” I replied; -—so I remember reading in a newspaper when [| “for even my own conjectures concerning your was upon the Continent. But you met the Vis- | case can supply sufficient to prove that you have count to-day ? Did he know where you were | passed through an ordeal which though serving as staying P” a chastisement from heaven, may nevertheless en- “Yes,” I replied. ‘I happened to inform him | title you to the sympathy of your fellow-creatures that I was visiting my friends at Tremaine Hall.” | upon earth !” “ And did—die he ask any other question ?” in-| “Ob, what kind words flow from your lips, my quired Sarah: “ did he by any accident mention | dear Ellen!” murmured Sarah. ‘ Yes—mine was my name ?P” “No,” I rejoined. ‘ I only spoke to him for a few minutes. I must tell you that I am not very well acquainted with him—we had only met once before—and that was under painful circumstances —the occasion of his brother’s death. Besides, Sarah,” I added, “ whatever may have taken place betwixt himeelf and you, a proper feeling of deli- cacy would no doubt prevent him from putting any question to a third person that might engender & suspicion.” “True!” said Miss Barron. ‘“ And then too,” she went on to observe, “I have long ago dis- covered that he really cares nothing for me. I do not believe that he really ever loved me! No, no! it was impossible !—or else he would not—no ! he would not have acted as he did !” “1 beseech you, Sarah,” I said, “ not to give way to repinings and regrets———I mean do not excite yourself—say no more upon the subject now ‘i “Oh, yes! I must tell you everything !” she interrupted me; “ and then my mind will be com- paratively at ease! I was saying that I met Vis- count Ravenscliffe at Stafford: —that was four years ago, when I was barely eighteen. I was in- experienced in the world ; and when on the next four or five successive occasions that I visited Stafford, I met the Viscount, I could no longer think it was eccidental—but I felt flattered and pleased by the idea that he was purposely seeking me. And then I began to listen to the tale which he breathed in my ear; and when he spoke of an —Oh, I deserved all the agony of mind that I en- dured! for was I not very deceitful towards those who had left me in charge of their children? On two or three occasions I ‘introduced the Viscount secretly into the mansion - “Ab, I remember!” I ejaculated: “he told me he had visited the Hall during the absence of the Tremaines. But then we were only speaking at the time of the traditionary feuds and animosities which have subsisted between the families. And now proceed, Sarah; and bring your tale toa quick ending.” my acquaintance with Viscount Ravenscliffe,” con- tinued Miss Barron, “I was in a way to become a mother. Ob! you may possibly be enabled to picture to yourself how passionately I entreated the Viscount to fulfil his pledges and make me his wife! It was then that the excuses and pretexts he advanced began to open my eyes to the dreadful truth!—to the fearful comprehension of the fact that I was betrayed! I can conceive the deep horror, the consternation, and the growing agony of mind, with which in oriental climes the doomed wretch first begins to feel the dread idea creeping into his soul that the plague has taken hold of him; and of a kindred nature was the feeling which then took possession of me! I strove to cling to hope as to an element that was necessary to my existence: but it grew more and more phantom-like before me—more and more impal- pable—more and more vapoury, until it vanished a — ——— ew Oe 6 ee ee os _ _———— indeed a terrible ordeal! But then I deserved it! “In a few months after the commencement of . CORNICLOOOKS (EO) — ss