Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 109: what you’re looking at

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a ee | 96 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. other boxes into the corridor; and Lord Frederick entreated that some regard should be paid to me. A gentleman and lady at once complied with his request; and the ejaculations which burst from their lips, showed that they immediately recognised me. They bore me away in a state of unconscious- ness; and in the meanwhile Juliet recovered. Her father was almost immediately on the spot ; and he assured the young nobleman and his daughter that there was nothing to apprehend in respect to the wild beasts. It further appeared that Captain Chalmers—having by brandishing the dagger suc- ceeded in overawing the tiger—had instantaneously availed himself of the opportunity to quit the cage. The violent closing of the grating as he thus skipped from the den, caused the panic alarm that the tiger had escaped. Mr. Norman—who was representing the character of the Rajah—perceiv- ing that our box was so abruptly vacated, sprang down into it from the stage, to tranquillize us with the assurance that there was no danger: and trip- ping over a seat, he had fallen with that violence against the door which filled me with the horrible idea that the tiger had sprung after us. In the course of a few minutes the greater portion of the panic-stricken audience returned to their places ; and the drama proceeded: but Captain Chalmers did not again venture into the den. Lord Frede- rick and Juliet were surprised that I did not re- turn—but still they were not uneasy : they natu- rally felt assured that I had either fallen into the hands of friends, or else of persons who would treat me in a friendly manner. Lord Frederick was too much excited and bewildered at the time on Juliet’s account, to take very much notice of the lady and gentleman who had carried me off ;sx and he was utterly unacquainted with them per- sonally, Such were the explanations which I received ; and I made a remark which had the effect, as I intended it should, of making my friends suppose that I bad remained unconscious of whatsoever passed until I found myself with Lady Lilla Essen- dine. ““Then you do not know,’ exclaimed Lord Frederick, “ who the gentleman and lady were to whom you are so much indebted, and who must doubtless have consigned you into Lady Lilla’s care P” “T cannot even conjecture,” I responded; “ for they themselves gave no intimation which could possibly be repeated to me:’—and this was true enough, as the reader is aware. “ But I should like to know who they were.” “ Naturally so,” said Mrs. Norman ingenuously, —“in order to take the first opportunity of ex- pressing your gratitude. Perhaps you can describe them, Lord Frederick P” “I do not think I can,” he answered; “and yet I should possibly know them again if I were to see them. I was so distressed and bewildered on Juliet’s account—likewise on your’s, Miss Percy ——for it was no trivial thing to have upon my hands two ladies who had fainted—although we can now afford to smile at my embarrassment-———” “And yet,” I said, “if your lordship could but give me the faintest sketch of this gentleman and ady apcuinall 33 “Their images are only retained so confusedly and dimly in my mind,” interrupted the young nobleman, “that I really know not how to enter on such a description. I dare say we shall see them again, as they most likely frequent the theatres; and then, as it often happens in similar cases, the recognition will flash in unto my memory.” On retiring to my chamber, I reflected on everything I had just heard. There was a gap to be filled up. Who could this gentleman and lady be? Perhaps strangers; and St. Clair, having seen everything that passed, had stepped in to assert some superior claim to have the care of me? Or, on the other hand, they might have been accomplices of St. Clair?—though I was certain that Colonel Bellew had not figured in this in- stance, inasmuch as I had once heard Lord Frede- rick Ravenscliffe on some occasion incidentally mention that he was acquainted with him. Unable to arrive at any satisfactory conjecture on the point, I proceeded to examine once more that mysterious fragment which I had brought with me from St. Clair’s house. I perused its contents with almost as harrowing an interest as when my eyes first scanned them. Oh! what wild pas- sionate words were those which had found record upon that paper !—how ineffable must have been the anguish of mind in which they were penned! What horror—what excruciations—what worlds of mental suffering did they bespeak! They seemed to conjure up ghastly shapes around me, and to make my heart writhe as if with the infection of their own crucifying tortures. But composing my feelings as well as I could, I endeavoured to shut out from my mind the sense of that impassioned language itself, and to study only the handwriting in which it was recorded At the same time I strove to recollect Lady Lilla’s writing ; and again was I struck by the resemblance—again were all my fearfullest suspicions aroused—and I could not help thinking that which I would have given the world moé¢ to think in respect to one who had dis- played so much kindness towards me. At length, having locked up the mysterious fragment in my desk, I retired to bed. Two or three days afterwards I saw in that por- tion of a morning paper which was devoted to fashionable movements, an announcement to the effect that Captain Edwin St. Clair, M.P., had left England on a Continental tour, and was not ex- pected to return until the opening of Parliament should call him to the resumption of his senatorial duties. I was pleased at this piece of intelligence ; for having been unfortunate enough to win the maddened love of such an unprincipled character, I could at no time consider myself safe while he remained in the British metropolis, During the week which followed the adventures that I have been relating, I reappeared upon the stage, to achieve fresh triumphs. I must candidly confess that on the first evening when I thus once more trod the boards of the theatre, I experienced a certain tightening at the heart, as the dying words of my deceased aunt came vividly back to my memory. Yet they were not qualms of con- science which I thus felt: for if for a moment I had fancied I was doing wrong, I should have at once abandoned the stage. But I regretted that the profession which I had adopted should be re- pugnant to the prejudices entertained by one whom I had so much loved and respected. | | | | £ = CONNIE IOOKS Com