Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

A a eee eee Oo EEE EEE OOOO ——————ETE____EOESAESV7V__V7U a 140 “Tisten to me,’ he continued—and his voice rate? Let me give you a house of your owa— - ——_——or—-—_ ELLEN PERCY; OR, THES MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. was hoarse as well as tremulous with agitation. surround you with every luxury and comfort? “T see that you know everything—and it is there- | I would visit you frequently — nobody need fore useless for me to deny what I have done. swear to you, Juliet, that I loved you = » “Loved me P” she said, in shuddering accents of | inquiry. “Well then,” ou 3? * Ob, if you still love me * Pray listen to me !—I beseech you to listen!” “T will, I will,” said Juliet nervously. “ Pro- ceed.” “T still love you,” continued Ravenscliffe: “ but my position is such that I cannot . “Enough, my lord!” said Juliet, in a cold freezing yoice. “I now comprehend my doom.” he continued, “I still love “But do listen to me!” exclaimed Lord Fre-. derick, almost petulantly. “I know very well that my safety is in your hands and in those of your parents—and that you can punish me for what I have done. But this will not advance your interests. You will ruin me, and at the same time ruin yourself. Iam willing to do all that I can or may to repair the injury which in my madness and infatuation I have inflicted I will settle upon you a handsome income I will x “Talk not to me, my lord,” interrupted Juliet, with a cold indignation which at the same time had something dignified as well as scornful in it,— “talk not to me as if you were addressing one of those depraved and degraded creatures who can be purchased at a price or whose wounded feelings can be healed by gold! I ask you to render me honourable in the sight of the world; and if you refuse this act of justice, I will accept nothing from you as a boon. I now know my fate; and my mind is made up what course to pursue. Even if I were vindictive I should prefer the safety of my reputation to the wreaking of vengeance. Be. sides, for such a crime as that which you have committed, the chastisement it deserves is too great to be dealt out by human law: it must be left to the dispensation of heaven! Go, my lord! —you are safe from injury at my hands! But, Oh! return not into the great world to boast that the too confiding girl has become your victim —or that the despised ballet-dancer has been the transient toy of your pleasures. Leave me the chance, my lord, of veiling my shame from the public knowledge ; so that when I go back to earn my bread upon that stage from which for a time Iwas snatched away to be cradled in a brilliant and blissful delusion, I may not have to blush when looking-others in the face. And, Ob! con- sider my parents, my lord! They will presently have a tremendous weight of aflliction to bear up against :—agegravate it not by the betrayal of the fearful secret to the world !” It was with an indescribable pathos, in the most touching tones, and with the most feeling accents that Juliet had thus spoken. The tears were raining down my cheeks; my bosom was convulsed with sobs; I could scarcely restrain myself from rushing forward, throwing myself at Ravenscliffe’s feet, and imploring him to have mercy upon one who was so forbearing towards him and who thus displayed the noblest sentiments and the loftiest feeliugs. “But why, Juliet,’ he said, “should we sepa. | I | know — >?» “Ab, my lord!” she indignantly exclaimed, “you would have me become your pensioned miss tress? Dare to address me again in such terms, and all my good resolutions towards you will vanisb as if they hadnever been! Add not insult the most intolerable to cruelty the most horrible ! Oh, it is the deepest of the humiliations into which your wickedness has plunged me, for you to tes- tify that because I am dishonoured you deem that I can become profligate! Ab, my lord! it was doubtless a fine thing for you, a brilliant young nobleman, to ensnare the humble ballet-dancer !— and perhaps you think that when placing a crown of thorns upon her head, you placed a diadem of glorious triumph on your own! Oh, be proud of this conquest !—it requires but that to be the con- summation of all your iniquity! Now therefore I will use threats 4 “For heaven’s sake, speak not thus passione ately!” exclaimed the young nobleman, trembling with alarm. “ You will be overheard Ab! Miss Percy is here!” *Yes—I am here, my lord,’ I said, now ad- vancing from the extremity of the room; “and after this scene I shall have a poorer opinion than ever of human nature. That you could have rce sisted the appeals of her whom you have so cruelly wronged a “Enough, Ellen!” interrupted Juliet vehes= mently: “he is inaccessible to prayers! I will use threats. This, then, my lord, is my determi- nation:—keep my secret as you value your own safety! Let but the slightest whisper reach my ears that you have betrayed me—let but the faintest murmur be wafted to me that you have made a boast of the wreck and ruin you have achieved—and that instant the vengeance of the law shall be invoked against you! These are the terms that I offer; and it is for you to decide whether you accept them.” ** Why all this passion, Juliet? why address me . in this language?’ asked Lord Frederick. “I tell you that I am ready to do anything which you suggest, and which I can or may perform. The secret has been hitherto kept; and it shall be kept! But let us part friends 5 “Friends?” echoed Juliet wildly: and then with a half-stifled shriek she flung herself upon a chair, covered her countenance with her hands, and burst into a paroxysm of uncontrollable anguish. Lord Frederick was about to approach her, when I laid my hand upon his a@m, saying in a low voice, ‘I insist, my lord, that you leave the room !” For an instant the young nobleman flung upon me a look of malignant defiance: but the next moment assuming a submissive air, he said, “ Yes, yes, Miss Perey—I will be guided by you!” “Go then,” I said: and while he retreated, I threw my arms around Juliet’s neck, pressing her to my bosom. For a few minutes: she continued to weep with a bitterness that had never before characterized weeping in my presence, and to sob with a con- yulsiyeness that seemed to threaten her with dis- Gomicsvook com