Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

THE BALLET-GIRL’S REVENGE. . 183 ett Sie Gee eee She was determinod to resist coercion of her im- mortal part to the last breath of life. ‘“‘T want you to bind yourself to me for life.” “* And after ?” “After? Oh!” returned the Arab, chuckling in- wardly at his success, ‘‘ after is nothing whatever to do with me.’’ “*You mean that ?” “*T dow? “Then I must consent—always with a proviso.” “What is that?” ““That I am well treated.” “Have you cause for complaint hitherto?” de- manded the magician. “‘ T know not.’’ ‘Tn rescuing you from the grave ?”’ **T slept in peace.” “So far—but what was to come ?” These words conveyed a hidden knowledge of the secrets of the dreadful future which duly impressed the girl. ““Now,” said Mermet after a pause, ‘ tell me how you feel.” ** Better.”’ ** Has this coldness gone ?”’ fe Yes.? * Your blood circulates freely ?”’ *‘Yes. I feel heavy atthe head still, but I am better than before.” **1’m glad of that. Can you rise now ?”’ She replied to this by sitting up. And now, for the first time, she perceived the slight covering she had on, and her blushing cheeks told how her maidenly decorum was wounded. Mermet noticed it too, and remarked upon it. ‘“‘You need have no scruples now,” said he. **Pruderies are for the world. We can dispense with them. Henceforth you are mine—mine alone. Henceforth you must but think as I think, act as I act, and—”’ In bitter shame the maiden drew the fatal winding- sheet around her. The tearless eyes upturned made a mute appeal to Heaven. . And in this same appeal told her soul’s agony. **Oh! man, man,” she exclaimed bitterly, ‘‘ keep me if you will—slay me; but oh! have mercy upon me !”” *‘ You are mine,” was all the reply the necromancer deigned. ** Mercy, if you are a man !” “ Mine.” “Fiend! you have no heart.” CHAPTER LXXII. STILL ONWARDS—FRESH SCANDAL—A GALLANT PRIEST — THEATRICAL DRESSING-ROOM — THE GREEN-ROOM — THE PET PARSON AND HIS VICTIM—A SCENE IN A CHURCH—MORDER OF THE PET PERSON, AFTER the fatal occurrence at the theatre our heroine and Blanche Bowerini determined to move onwards. - The fatal associations in connection with it they deemed would always be before them, and they there~ fore quitted the company and made for an adjacent town. As in their previous rambles, they did not make a very protracted stay here. beet But they came across one or two little incidents, to which we shall refer as we proceed. : The first of these happened immediately upon their arrival, - We shall therefore give it in its order. One of the most constant visitors to the theatre was a young man who created a deal of excitement amongst the petticoats. He was the curate of the principal living in the place, a young rake just fresh from Oxford, and whose family had thrust him into the cloth, in the belief that the sacred calling would sober down his vicious propensities. However, in this they had signally failed. The young curate carried on such pranks, and was So much run after by the petticoats, that he procured for himself the sobriquet of the ‘‘ Pet Parson.’’ At the theatre was one girl who was said to be positively madly in love with this gay clerical Lothario. She was a minor actress only, of no great talent— indeed of rather humble abilities—and who was said only to retain her position, small as it was, for her pretty face and well-turned ankle. Now for some time the Pet Parson made a regular dead set at Miss Clitheroe, as she was known to the profession. Miss Clitheroe, albeit she possessed many ardent admirers, had proved, like the rest of her sex, unable to resist the allurements of the gallant churchman. And scented cocked-hat billets-doux had passed between them. Endless promenades had been gone through. All the celebrated walks denominated by the neighbourhood ‘‘ ultra-spooney ’’ were used up, and lo! the Pet Parson’s passion began to fall off. He dropped off, gradually in his attentions. Reproaches were coolly met. Then the gay churchman slighted her altogether. Now this Kate Clitheroe had a hot temper beneath her fair angelic face. She had suffered a wrong at the curate’s hands, and she resented it fiercely. Rose Mortimer might have been drawn into this, for the Pet Parson made fierce love to her as soon as she arrived. But she cut him so dreadfully short that he was sent to the right-about considerably humbled in spirit. The curate had the entrée to the green-room, and he used to carry on the most violent flirtations with most of the ladies wlio were weak and silly enough to feel flattered by his attentions. One night in the dressing room the ladies were growing very cruel and sarcastic at Miss Clitheroe’s expense concérning the amours of herself and the Pet Parson, when she, after tamely submitting to it for a long time, retorted in such a way as to intimate that matters had indeed reached a most serious climax. | In other words, they were shortly to be united in holy wedlock. One and all of the scandal-loving sisterhood scorned the notion. ‘“ As you please,’’ retorted Miss Clitheroe. ‘‘ You can have your own way.” “Tt might be so if you had yours,” said one of the actresses spitefully. ‘¢ You area jealous girl,’’ said Miss Clitheroe. ‘* But time will show,”’ ‘¢ Time perhaps,’’ said one. ‘¢ A very long time,’’ said another. ‘Delays are dangerous,” quoth a third. ‘“ Many a slip ’twixt the cup and the lip, you know.” At length, unable to bear the cruel sneers any longer, Miss Clitheroe rushed out of the dressing- room. << Poor creature !’’ said one. ‘* You were really too hard upon her, Miss Evans,’’ ‘*T severe ?”’ ‘‘Of course, Oh, you poor innocent!” said the others, laughing, COMIC DOO KS. COL