Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

SS ee a ee er ee 56 roy’s abode,— although I was more or less in a nervous state of anxiety as to the means which might be adopted to compel Mr. Parks to disgorge the wealth of which he had plundered me. Beda knocked at the door; and the summons was immediately answered by the hideous-looking dwarf, who carried a light in his hand, and who gave a significant crin on beholding us. We were conducted into the same back-room to which we had in the first instance been shown on the former occasion of our visit to that place. The dwarf left us; and we were again alone together. In a few minutes the dwarf returned; and he requested us to follow him. He led us up the staircase belonging to that house in which we found ourselves ; for the reader will remember that the premises tenanted by Gilderoy consisted of two houses, looking into different streets, but con- nected, as I have before described. On reaching the first-floor landing, the dwarf paused; and turn- ing to me, he said, “ You remember, Miss Percy, the vow of inviolable secrecy you made in respect to everything which you may behold within these walls? I now require your equally solemn pledge that you will interfere in nothing that may pass before your eyes—that you will remain altogether silent—and that you will so far conquer your feel- ings as to give way to no excitement during the progress of those things which are about to be done.” I hesitated—and I said, “ Your words frighten me! Ifthere be aught very terrible—if cruelty or torture be had recourse to “ “ If you hesitate, Miss Percy,” interrupted the dwarf, “you can at once depart—and nothing more shall be done. But by such conduct you will be proving that you have no faith in the venerable Gilderoy ; and you will be making a most ungrate- ful return for everything that he is doing in your behalf.” “Ail this is so vague that it terrifies me!” I sald. ‘ You have not promised that personal tor- ture is not to be had recourse to in order to compel that wretched man to render up his usurped wealth; and vile though he be, yet I could not stand by and patiently behold the in- fliction of torture. No! I would sooner leave the house at once!” “Do as you think fit, Miss Percy,” said the dwarf. “Ihave no power to give you any further assurances.” “ Suffer me to see the venerable Gilderoy ?” I exclaimed. . “IT will communicate your wish,” rejoined the dwarf. “Have the goodness to accompany me down stairs again, to the room from which I have conducted you.” Beda and I accordingly descended the stairs; and ina few moments we again found ourselves alone together in the little room hung with the shabby-looking pictures. “ You do not blame me, Beda,” I said, in a low whisper, “for my refusal to give the pledge so vaguely and so mysteriously required of me?” “Oh, no!” she responded; “I admire you, Miss, for the generosity which prompted hesita- tion. But still I do not think that Gilderoy would have recourse to such dreadful means—or that if such were his purpose, he would have sent or you hither to witness the spectacle.” a ee ee a ~_— -- — —s el ti et Nt LO er ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, “ Such also is my hope,” I rejoined. “ But you know your own people better than I 7" I stopped short, my gaze riveted with conster- nation and dismay upon a certain object. Beda’s looks were instantaneously flung in the same direction; and an ejaculation of surprise burst from her lips. The picture above the escritoire was raised ; and there was the countenance of the old harridan, Dame Betty, filling up the aperture like the hideous head of Medusa set in a frame! Indescribably malicious, wicked, and fiendlike seemed the haggard wrinkled countenance; and the reptile eyes were fixed with malignant keen- ness upon us. Then the picture suddenly fell ; and the hideous apparition vanished from our view. I felt that I was as pale as death; for the thought struck me that the presence of that old wretch within those walls boded no good to Beda and myself; and once more did all the most hor- rible suspicions of impending treachery flame up in my mind, as vivid as when on the previous oc- casion I had seen the countenance of Black Ned looking down from the same aperture. I had scarcely begun to recover from the fright thus caused me—and I was about to say some- thing to Beda—when the door opened, and the dwarf again made his appearance. “1 am instructed by the venerable Gilderoy,” he immediately said, “to assure you, Miss Percy —and you likewise, Beda—that he is iucapable of inflicting torture upon the person of the lawyer Parks. He has no such design. You will now follow me.” “ In the first place tell me,” I said, “who is in the adjacent room ?” “TI don’t know,” responded the dwarf dog: gedly. « But I know,” I rejoined; “ and I will not re- main in the house “ ** Do as you like, Miss Percy,” interrupted the dwarf, with an air of the supremest indifference. “The door of the house shall be opened at your command ; and if I was Gilderoy I should be only too glad to get rid of you—for you seem to want others te render you all sorts of services, but you give yourself all kinds of airs AS “Cease this impertinence!” interrupted Beda, in a tone so imperious and dignified that the stunted being looked as if he were overawed ina moment, and he gazed with surprise and dismay upon the girl’s beautiful countenance, which was flushed with indignation, while her luminous eyes appeared to be darting forth fires:—then turning to me, Beda said in a hasty whisper, “Trust to the patriarch Gilderoy! trust to him, dear Miss, I conjure you!” Beda’s advice always had its weight with me, more especially when it related to anything con- nected with the people of the race to which she belonged: and with only a moment’s hesitation I said, “ Be it so, my dear girl !’’—then addressing myself to the dwarf, I added, “Lead the way: I am prepared to follow.” “And the pledge?” said the deformed being, who now spoke sullenly and doggedly,—“ the pledge which I have demanded of you, and which the patriarch Gilderoy exacts ?” “Give it,” hastily whispered Beda. my word that everything will be for the best “T pledge myself thus far,’ I said,—“ that I 39 “Take 1)? + (CO NAILCE (E@) —— ee os