Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

EE _ . a A nt meme tte itil aA, Al CL CCC NG LO Cll lll Ate le ———— -—-----:.- nw — es 58 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. tain himself; and then he faltered forth, “ Why am I brought here? who has dared to do this?” “Tt is vain for you, Thomas Parks,” said Gil- deroy, in asolemn voice, “to question the authority of those, who, as you perceive, have the power to again into its place; and Beda and 1 sat down in the chairs which we found behind that sable screen. There were two round holes in the cur- tain, each about six inches in diameter ; and through these we could command a view of the spectacle that was before us. This I shall now proceed to | enforce their will.” describe. * But tell me what I have done? whom have I I have already said that it was a spacious apart- | offended ?” exclaimed the lawyer, now becoming | ment. The walls were hung with black; and at somewhat the master of himself. “ Inveigled here | the extremity there was a species of raised plat- by an old woman under the pretext that she had | form, on which sat a figure in an arm-chair, This important business to communicate, [ finda snare | figure was clad in a sable robe, and hada high set for me ‘ pointed black cap upon his head; indeed it was “Silence!” interposed Gilderoy; “and listen! | shaped like that which in pictures is assigned to If your conscience tells you that you are sinless, astrologers. But by the white beard and the | you have no occasion for apprehension ; for I em- swarthy countenance it was by no means difficult | phatically proclaim that in all these proceedings to recognise the patriarch Gilderoy. At a table you shall experience the same justice here as if placed in front of the platform, at a little distance _ you were in tho presence of one of the legally con- from it, and covered with black cloth, sat a person stituted tribunals of the country.” whose office was evidently that of clerk to this | “Perhaps it is all a jest,” said Mr. Parks, tribunal. On black-coyered benches on either side clutching at the idea; “and you are making merry were several gipsy men—perhaps two dozen in all at my expense? If so——” —dressed in their usual apparel, and all maintain. But he stopped short, evidently smitten with ing a solemn silence. In the middle of the room the conviction that it was very far from being a was a species of dock, with a railing and an ascent jest, and that there was a terrible earnestness in of three steps. Two candles were burning on the the sombre serious looks of the men whom he saw clerk’s table: and this was all the light which pre- | on his right and on his left, as well as in the grave vailed in the apartment. A small portion of the stern countenance of the black-robed self-consti- room had been screened off by the curtain, eyi- | tuted judge. dently to enable myself and Beda to witness the =“ Listen to the aecusation which is made against proceedings, without ourselves being observed. Be- you!” resumed Gilderoy, ‘ You, Thomas Parks, hind us was a window; anda glance through it | are charged with haying been a direct accessory to showed another window. This latter was one of the foul and mysterious murder of an old gentle- the back ones of the house; and the two were at man named Forsyth——” such a short distance that persons might shake The manner in which the wretched attorney hands from one to the other. It was thus that I | started was plainly visible to Beda and myself be- comprehended how the back yards had been almost | nind the curtain. It seemed as if he were sud- completely built over. denly galvanized ; and again he clung to the rail | | | | | ! | I must confess that the aspect of this tribunal for support. We could not see his countenance, | produced a strange effect upon me; and I had | for his back was towards us: but that his form | strong scruples about remaining there. It was was thus shaken by the quick convulsive spasm — only too evident that the patriarch Gilderoy was | shooting through it, there could be no doubt. arrogating to himself a power altogether beyond, ‘And this foul murder,” continued Gilderov, | that of the regular law of the land; and I knew | “ was perpetrated towards the elose of the year not whether it might not constitute an offenee, or | 1834, in the town of Leeds. The indictment fur- at least a great impropriety on my part, to become | ther charges you, Thomas Parks, with having an accomplice in such proceedings, and to suffer | aided and abetted your mother, the housekeeper of Beda to remain in the same position. the deceased, to commit the crime in order that “TI donot think I shall stay,’ I whispered to the fortune of the deceased, amounting to the sum her; “for either this must be a mockery of justice of thirty thousand pounds, should fall into your | —or else if the proceedings take a serious hands, the additional crime of forgery being per- ! | | | turn sf petrated to consummate the iniquity. These are “ Hush, Miss! hush!” said Beda. “ Hear you the charges which are brought against you; and those footsteps in the passage P” you are asked in the usual manner, whether you I remained silent: for at the moment that Beda plead Guilty or Not Guilty ?” spoke, there was the tread of several persons in the | It seemed as if during this last speech from adjoining passage. The door was almost imme- the lips of the venerable Gilderoy, Mr. Parks had diately opened by the dwarf who had posted himself time to collect himself again; and there is no there ; and four gipsy men entered, conducting Mr. doubt that a sense of his position made him wind Parks in their midst. Although the light was so up his courage to the utmost for the purpose of feeble, yet it was sufficient to show that the law- making one last desperate stand against the pre- yer’s countenance was as pale as death, and that | sent proceedings. his features were literally smitten with an expres- “J refuse to plead!” he exclaimed: “I do not sion of wild affright, as on crossing the thresiold acknowledge your authority! You know as well he obtained a view of this tribunal. It was a asI that you are a lawless tribunal: and by the downright agony of alarm—a mortal terror which look of you, you are @ still more lawless horde ! seized upon the wretch; and his gipsy-guards were Do you know what a series of offences you are compelled to bear him into the dock, for his limbs committing against me, all constituting the mosf were evidently sinking under him. On being re- serious misdemeanours? You are accomplices in leased from their hold, he clutehed the rail to sus- the fact of my being inveigled by false pretences Eomichooks. co