Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 212: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. towards the audience, I caught a glimpse of a countenance which made me look more attentively in the same direction, and there, sure enough, in & si ie-box sat the individual whom I considered to be tlie Count of Carboni. He was dressed in deep black, and appeared to be watching with the deepest interest the progress of the drama. The Marquis and Marchioness of Campanella were not present on this occasion: her ladyship had written me a note in the course of the day, to the effect that she was tuo mucb depressed in spirits on ac count of her sister Beatrice, to be enabled to wit- ness my performance of the heroine’s character in “The Merchant of Venice.” I glanced several times towards the foreign gentleman—yet not in a manner which could lead him to imagine that I thus specially noticed his presence. On each occasion I saw that his atten- tion was riveted upon me; and I felt tolerably well assured he must have recognised me as the one to whom his little act of politeness was shown on the preceding day. I enacted the part of Portia with complete success; and another brilliant triumph was achieved. On the following day, at about noon, I renewed my visit to Zarah’s abode. Just as I reached the front-door, it opened; and a young girl of exceed- ing beauty came forth. She was not more than fourteen or fifteen years of age—of moderate sta- ture—but with a figure of the most perfect sym- metry. It was slender, yet just beginning to take the developments of that period when girlhood is expanding towards womanhood. She was plainly dressed in a dark stuff frock, a neat shawl, anda straw bonnet, which enframed a countenance of surpassing loveliness. Her hair was of ebon black- ness, without gloss, and neither curling nor wavy, so far as I could judge: but it was arranged in bands that. were perfectly smooth; and it was braided in two long tresses, falling from behind the back of the bonnet. Her complexion was a clear transparent olive, with a rich carnation hue upon the cheeks. Her nose was perfectly straight, and joining the forehead in the style of the Grecian profile. Her lips were of pouting fulness—rich, but not coarse: on the contrary, they were most beautifully formed; and being slightly apart at the moment I thus encountered her, they revealed teeth of pearly whiteness. Her eyes were large and dark ; and as their look rested upon my coun- tenance, methought that there was a strarge witchery in them—not exactly the peculiar wild lustre which I have already spoken of in respect fo Zarah’s eyes—but a weird mystic light hovering in their unfathomable depths. They were superb eloquent eyes; and yet they bewildered the be- holder to conceive what they were thus eloquent of. They seemed to speak—yet leaving one as much in doubt as if listening to a strange language poured forth in the rich silver tones of a melodious voice. Yet, altogether, there was something inde- scribably interesting—I might even say ravishing and captivating—in the whole appearance of this young creature. The graceful slenderness of her shape—the dress just defining the nascent contours of the bust—the uprightness of her form—the ease of her movements—the symmetrical perfection of the feet and ankles, which the somewhat short skirt revealed—the elastic lightness of her steps, which seemed akin to the girlish buoyancy of her spirits—and then the exquisite beauty of that oval countenance, with its pure olive complexion, its rich red lips, its delicately rounded chin, and the large mystical eloquent eyes, —all combined to render this young creature an object of no ordi- nary interest the moment my looks settled upon her. As she opened the door, she stood back with a certain air of respect—which notwithstanding had something free, careless, and spirited in it ~ to suffer me to pass into the house before she passed out. I could not help lingering to gaze upon her; and for a few moments she gazed upon me in re- turn, with her splendid dark eyes, as if she were wondering who I was, and as if the interest which I felt in her was more or less reciprocated. Then she smiled,—her parting lips affording a still better view of the brilliancy and purity of her small pearl-like teeth ;—and gliding away, she sped along the street. I followed her with my eyes; I could not help thus looking after her, even at the risk of being noticed, and perhaps thoucht rude or im- pertinently curious, should she happen to turn and look back. But she did not; and she went gliding along with a rapid, airy, sylphid movement, —her shapely feet, arching like those of the accomplished danseuse; her high well-formed insteps, and the rounded ankles, exhibiting all the perfection of symmetry and contour that may be recognised in the best sculptured effigies. At length she disap- peared from my view round the corner of the street; and for a moment I experienced a feeling that savoured of vexation that I had not spoken to her: for, as I have already said, she was one of those rare beings—singular, strange, and striking in their own peculiar beauty—on whom it is im- possible to look without at once being iuspired with an extraordinary degree of intrest. And now, as I entered the house and closed the door behind me, the suspicion flashed to my mind that the young creature might be one of whom I had heard before. I really felt anxious to have the idea verified—or, I should say, to have my uncertainty cleared up; because in my own heart I sincerely wished for her sake that my sus- picion should prove unfounded. On entering Zarah’s room, I found her seated at the table, oc- cupied with her bouks; but at once rising up, she welcomed me warmly. “ Had you come but a few minutes earlier, Miss Percy,” said Zarab, “ you would have met one who is already deeply interested in you.” “ Ah! Beia?” I exclaimed. “'Yes—Beda,” responded Zarah. you saw her ?” “Yes—I saw her,’ I rejoined: and I could not help heaving a profound sigh on finding that the suspicion which had flashed to my mind was now completely fulfilled. “ Are you unwell, Miss Percy?” inquired Zarah with an air of concern: “or has anything hap- pened to affect your spirits P” ** And that is Beda?” I said, thus giving audible utterance to my musings :—“‘ Beda, the most.per- fect specimen of girlish beauty that I ever beheld in my life !—Beda, a young creature whom one could love as a sister and watch with the most “* Perhaps jealous vigilance over her welfare !” “You have become interested in her?” said Zarah. “Ah! I understand! You pity her: Com 199 | t IOOK coim