Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

. “Truly, if you should prove a friend, though a 152 ELLEN PERCY ; OB, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. rouch as you have done! But am I not to know who you are P” “ Assuredly not,” was my answer: “and per- haps you will find that my character is not quite so much assumed as you have hitherto sup- posed.” “This is ridiculous!” said Lady Cecilia haugh- tily. “In the other room it was only proper and suitable that you should play your part: but here —where our interview seems to have a more serious purpose + “Serious it indeed is,” I interrupted her; “and I have truly a warning to give you. But before I enter upon this self-imposed task, I demand im- plicit secrecy from your lips;—and even when acting according to the counsel I shall give, I trust to your ladyship’s honour not to explain the motives to whomsoever your actions may con- cern.” “Do you know,” said Lady Cecilia, again fixing her regards most scrutinizingly upon me through the holes of her mask, “that if you do not make good your words and prove that you have veritably @ communication of moment to impart, I shall consider that your conduct exceeds even the legi- timate license of a masquerade, and that you are trifling with me to the verge of an insult.” “But if, on the other hand,” I said, “I do make good my words, you will pledge yourself to secrecy to the extent that I have already stipu- lated P” “TI pledge myself,” replied Lady Cecilia. ‘“ And now proceed.” “JT have already hinted,” I resumed, “ that you stand at the entrance of two diverging roads. The public prints have announced that your inclina- tions—and I am therefore to conceive that your affections also, prompt your ladyship to take one road—while, if you value your happiness, you will take the other.” “Your reasons?” asked Lady Cecilia, curtly and coldly. “JT will mention certain names without dis- guise,’ I responded. ‘The Earl of Carshalton’s son—Lord Frederick Ravenscliffe—is not a person to ensure your felicity. He is hypocritical and selfish “You have made assertions,” interrupted Lady Cecilia, with a cold and haughty incredulity, “which are too serious to permit you any longer to shield yourself behind that mask.” ‘“T am no slanderer—no calumniatrix,” I an- swered proudly, but not forgetting to maintain my assumed tone. “ Listen, Lady Cecilia! Not many months have elapsed since the love of Lord Frederick was bestowed upon another Ee “And that perhaps was yourself?’ she ex- claimed scornfully. “No,” I rejoined with emphasis, “Can you not distinguish between a poor and paltry vindiec- tiveness on the one hand, and the loftier purpose of endeavouring to save you from a self sacrifice on the other ?” Lady Cecilia was visibly struck by these words which had just fallen from my lips; and she said, upon a sincere love for yourself? If you can de- vise such a test, I conjure you to practise it; and you may then judge by the result whether you have this might been addressed by the tongue of infamous calumny, or whether the warning has been given you from the best and purest mo- tives.” Lady Cecilia reflected for a few moments; and then she said, “ But why not treat me with the fullest confidence? If you require an oath, I swear most sacredly that I will not betray what- soever you may reveal to me, I will merely act upon it.” “No—this I may not do,” was my answer: “there are reasons which so intimately regard others that my lips must remain sealed in re- spect to the circumstances that justify the warning which I give you. But put that young nobleman to the test, and if your ladyship will follow my counsel, you will to the end of your days rejoice in having paid attention to the words which have now fallen from my lips.” “Yet you yourself must surely admit,” she re- joined, “that all this is too vague—too uncertain —and too meagre, to destroy my confidence in one who seems hitherto to have deserved it. Besides, you have not made good your former words. You have asserted everything and have proved no- thing.” I could not blind myself to the truth of her ladyship’s observations: I reflected for a few mo- ments: and I saw the absolute necessity of saying something more. “Remember, my lady,” I continued, “ you have pledged yourself to secrecy in respect to what you may now hear; and you will simply act upon it, without giving explanations,” ‘I have gone so far as to pledge myself to that effect,” replied Cecilia Urban; “and I never tell a falsehood,” she added, drawing herself up to the full of her commanding height. | “Then listen!” I said. ‘“ Lord Frederick Ravenscliffe' was but recently enamoured of an- other ; and by the vilest stratagem he succeeded in effecting her ruin. It was no ordinary case: for it was done, Lady Cecilia, under the cover of a mock marriage and I am acquainted with the victim of that stupendous perfidy !” “Then you must be the victim !”’ she said: and in a moment she tore the mask from my face. “What! is it possible!” exclaimed Lady Cecilia, with the haughtiest scorn: “the stage-actress at the Duchess of Ardleigh’s!’’ “ Madam,” I said, my cheeks burning with in- dignation, “you have performed an unhandsome and a treacherous deed. But I will prove all that I have said; and you may yet have to thank the stage-actress for preserving you from a marriage that would assuredly result in unhappiness and lute certainty in respect to the law of that case to which I just referred; and Lady Cecilia Urban would die with shame ‘if at any future period it were proved that she had married without actually becoming a wife.” The young lady was evidently bewildered how to act; and while she was plunged in anxious thought, I took the mask from her unresisting hand, and adjusted it over my countenance. disguised one, I should be grateful.” “Ts there any possible test to which you could put Lord Frederick,” I asked, “so as to ascertain whether his suit be founded on the selfish idea of possessing your fortune, or whether it be based misery. Nay, more, madam—there is not an abso-- eee GomicbooksneGom 7