Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 81: what you’re looking at

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aed, 68 ELLEN PERCY; OB, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. nacy—or more unrelenting in any aversions that | my feelings to Mr. Gower; and I assured him he might conceive. He could be a stanch friend: | but heaven help the individual who provoked his | hers were of a kindred nature. hatred and fell into his power! I know not, Miss Percy, to what extent you may have been ac- quainted with my uncle’s true character-——” | “T knew sufficient of it to be convinced, as I | now listen to you, that in no sense is your descrip- tion exaggerated :’—and I shuddered as I thought of the horrible vengeance that was wreaked upon the wretched Lord Frederick Ravenscliffe. “T should inform you, Miss Percy,” continued Major Gower, “that at an early age I was left an orphan, and totally dependent upon my uncle. He behaved towards me as if I were his own son: he spared no expense to give me a good edu- cation at a military college—and on the very day that I completed my sixteenth year, I was gazetted to a commission in the army. My uncle pur- chased my promotions step by step as rapidly as gold could achieve these objects. I thought I had every reason to bless him: but at that time I was obedient to all his wishes and mandates, and no- thing therefore transpired between us to develop his character in its true light to my comprehension. I am now about to speak of an incident which oc- curred some fourteen or fifteen months ago. At that time I had just fallen in with a young lady who had made a certain impression upon my heart. One day my uncle summoned me to his country- seat, with the intimation that he had a matter of some importance on which he was desirous of speaking to me;—and thither I accordingly re- paired. I could not conceive what this important business might possibly be: but on finding myself alone with my uncle, it was very soon explained. In a letter to my cousin Felicia — alas, poor Felicia !—I had mentioned the fact of having been impressed with the beauty of the young lady to whom I have just alluded. I had no secrets from Felicia: I had known her from her infancy—I looked upon her as a sister—and I knew that she regarded me asa brother. She entertained for me no sentiment of a more tender nature; and thus I had not the slightest hesitation in making her the confidante of the little secret to which I have re- ferred. She in her unsuspecting artlessness showed the letter to her father; and hence the summons that was sent off to command my immediate pre- sence at the country-seat. me concerning the young lady of whom I had spoken in that letter. _ evermore cast off from his favour. | knees at his feet—I besought him not to treat me I told him frankly that I | be most unreasonable to blame you! that if he questioned Felicia, he would find that But he would not listen patiently to my representations: he said that his mind was made up how to act. He had pushed me on rapidly in life with the idea that I was to become his heir, and that this heritage would not be to the prejudice of his daughter in- asmuch as by means of marriage we should become the joint possessors of his wealth. I remonstrated —I entreated—I implored: but all to no effect! I prayed that he would consult his daughter: his only answer was that he knew Felicia was ready and willing to obey him in all things, At length matters came to that point which compelled me to assure my uncle that much as I loved Felicia in one sense—that is to say, as a cousin or as a sister —I could not possibly love her in the sense which would justify me in conducting her to the altar. Besides, my heart was already impressed with the image of another; and I felt that this other could alone constitute my happiness. my uncle’s true disposition developed itself: he suddenly revealed his character to meas that of the stern, self-willed, obstinate tyrant. He bade me yield to his wishes or else consider myself for I fell upon my thus—I adjured him by all his former kindness to- wards me to maintain the same generous treat- ment. He was inexorable. ‘Assent to what I have proposed,’ he said, ‘or depart hence and see my face no more.’—Then it was that my own spirit rebelled: I could not bring myself to be trampled upon by the foot of a domestic tyrant—high words ensued between us—and he banished me from his presence. Yet even then I could scarcely think that he would maintain his stern decision, until in the course of a few days I received a letter full of the bitterest reproaches, taxing me with the black- est ingratitude, and withdrawing the allowance which I had hitherto enjoyed. Now I indeed saw that everything was at an end between my uncle and myself! I have detained you a long time, Miss Percy—longer than I had at first anticipated, with this narrative of explanations: but it is finished, and you perceive that I was really guilty towards my uncle of no offence which deserved so great a punishment as that of complete disin- Mr. Gower questioned | heritance.” “ Far from it, Major Gower,” I said: “it would But as you Then it was that — had only been very recently introduced to her, and | have treated me with so much frankness, may I that no serious step had as yet been taken—no | venture to hope that in respect to the young lady avowal of love as yet made. Indeed, with that|to whom you have alluded, all has progressed habit of deference with which all my conduct to- | smoothly aud in a manner calculated to ensure wards my uncle was characterized, I should not | your happiness ?” have thought of entering into any engagement | without having previously communicated my desire to him and received his sanction to my proceedings, * Ah, Miss Perey!” exclaimed the officer, “ you can now perhaps understand wherefore my joy was so enthusiastic, and why I was even prepared to All these assurances I gave him at the interview of | worship you as a benefactress, when I learnt that which I am speaking. He appeared much pleased; | you were disposed to settle everything in an ami- and then for the first time I to my astonishment | cable manner. Yes!—no doubt my happiness may learnt that he entertained certain views which he; now be insured! Ah, believe me, Miss Percy’”— went on to describe. He intended me to become | and here a deep mournfulness suddenly overspread the husband of his daughter! I was not merely | the Major’s countenance,—“ believe me when I surprised—I was even shocked: for though Felicia | declare that I was greatly distressed on hearing of and myself were in reality only cousins, yet as we | poor Felicia’s death! And perhaps you will not had been brought up together from childhood, I | deem me a hypocrite or a dissembler if I add that looked upon her asasister. I frankly explained I was shocked likewise at the death of my uncle ——————— = com Gboo —_—_—_ . uae camwer (E(o)