Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 250: what you’re looking at

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sss sls seston ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. eredit, you have abstained from naming him to your friends at River House ?” “T can assure you, Mrs. Glentworth,” I an- swered, astonished at the speech which was thus addressed to me, “that I did not recognise the gentleman who called at your dwelling. I saw him alight from the coach ] “And you did not recognise him?” exclaimed Mrs. Glentworth with a sudden lighting-up of the countenance, as if she experienced an indescribable relief. “Yet he saw you—he knew you—it even struck him that as you passed the cottage, you glanced at the windows it “1 may have done so, Mrs. Glentworth,” I re- sponded ; “but it was through no feeling of curiosity. As for the gentleman, whoever he may be, I repeat my assurance that I recognised him not.” “ My daughter just now told me that you were walking in this direction,” resumed Mrs. Glent- worth ; “and I resolved to come forth in the hope of meeting you. Iam glad that I have done so. And now permit me, Miss Trafford, to express my warmest gratitude for the kind manner in which you have dealt with my daughter. I understood full well all that must have been passing in your mind when we were fellow-travellers yesterday ; and believe me, I appreciated the mingled gene- rosity and delicacy with which you answered the poor girl’s repeated invitations that you would renew your 7isit.” : “‘T had conceived a friendship for Miss Glent- worth,” I replied: “she is amiable and open- hearted 4 *‘ She is the best and most affectionate of daughters!” ejaculated Mrs. Glentworth; and then the tears started from her eyes. “ Miss Trafford,’ she hastily added, ‘‘ your kindness to- wards her is something that I never can forget !” With these words she abruptly turned away; and retracing her steps across the field, was soon concealed from my view by a little copse which she had to traverse in order to reach her own home. She left me full of astonishment. Who could the person be that was now staying at her house, passing as her brother-in-law and as Mary’s uncle ?—wherefore should there have been so much apprehension Jest I had recognised him and revealed his name? I was bewildered what to think :—but in respect to Mrs. Glentworth her- self, I feared, from what had just taken place between us, that there was more reason than ever to balieve the tale which I had heard concerning her. I returned to River House; and after tea, as the evening was most deliciously serene, 1 walked in the gardens attached to the dwelling. It was about nine o’clock that I happened to be standing at the front gate—contemplating the high bold outlines of Dover Castle, which was plainly visible from that spot—when a young female, evidently a servant-maid, rushed towards me, exclaiming, “Oh! are you Miss Trafford ?” “Tam,” was my answer. ‘“ But good heavens! who are you? what has happened? wherefore this wildness of your looks ?” “Pray come to the Cottage! for God’s sake come !” cried the girl, who seemed to be half fren- zied. “My mistress is dying !—it is young Miss who has sent me——” i 8 rr st! 237 “Do you mean Miss Glentworth?” I asked, horrified by the announcement which had just smitten my ear. “Yes! for God’s sake come!” repeated the maid-servant: and when she saw that I hesitated not another instant to open the gate, she darted away again in the direction of the Cottage, evi- dently to announce that her mission had been suc- cessful and that I was on my way thither. I sped with all possible haste—every other con. sideration being absorbed in the sense of a para- mount Christian duty which I was called upon to fulfil. In avery few minutes I reached the Cot- tage. The maid-servant met me on the threshold of the front-door, which stood open; and to the hurried question which I put, I received the answer that Mrs. Glentworth yet lived, but that her distracted daughter thought that she was dying. “And has no medical man been sent for ?’ I anxiously inquired. “Yes! Mr. Glentworth has gone for one,” was the servant’s response. ‘But come, Miss! This way!” She led me up the staircase; and I was shown into a bed-chamber where Mrs. Glentworth was lying half undressed upon the bed and Mary was giving way to piteous lamentations. I saw at once that her mother was in a state of uncon- sciousness; but that she still lived was evident from the feeble yet painful gaspings which she made for breath. The instant Mary beheld me, she flew towards me, exclaiming in a half frenzied voice, “Oh, Miss Trafford ! save my dear mother!” I perceived that everything had been done which unskilled human aid could possibly do, while awaiting medical assistance. Mrs. Glent- worth’s apparel had been loosened—some taken off: her head was propped up with piilows—there was an odour of vinegar in the room—and bottles of volatile essences stood upon a side-table. I wag just about to speak some soothing words to Miss Glentworth, when the sounds of men’s footsteps hastily ascending the staircase reached our ears; and Mary exclaimed, “ Heaven be thanked! my uncle and the surgeon !” The next instant two gentlemen made their ap- pearance: one was the medical man who had been hastily fetched—and who, I should observe, was not the same that had attended upon Juliet: but the other—what words can depict my astonish. ment on recognising the Duke of Ardleigh ! And this recognition was mutual, There was a momentary start—a transitory confusion on the part of his Grace ;. and then quickly accosting me, he said in the lowest possible whisper that could be audible to my ear alone, “ Name me not!— name me not, Miss Trafford, I beseech you!” I flung upon him a glance which significantly implied that his secret was sacred with me; and this little incident passed unperceived by the others present—for the surgeon was already by the bed-side of Mrs. Glentworth, while Mary and the maid-servant were gazing with anxiety upon the countenance of him whose first look or word might put an end to all suspense by declaring that there was hope or that there was none! I now advanced towards the couch, as did the Duke of Ardleigh also; and the next moment Mary Glentworth sank with a convulsing sob sss tee ienmenminent COMMUC 0)(6)) <=) Com