Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 252: what you’re looking at

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

ate eee a oe ee FO we ‘ ene ee + ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. 239 * Yes, yes—it is that which is bewildering me!” eried the Duke. “I would not for the world that the secret should be known to my wife—to my children! I will provide handsomely for Mary: but where am I to place her, innocent and inex- perienced as she is! You see, she knows nothing of the world! Her artlessness, her innocence, her too confiding generosity, would all render her the more easy prey to the wiles of the tempter. What can be done? For heaven’ssake advise me, Miss Trafford !” I reflected for a few minutes, I knew that Mrs. Oldcastle possessed a good heart amidst all her eccentricities ; and I thought it not altogether improbable that she might afford the orphan Miss Glentworth a home, at ieast for a while, until some other arrangement could be made for her advan: tage. I suggested this to the Duke,—proposing, if he thought fit, to speak to Mrs. Oldcastle on the subject. “ Do anything you will, Miss Trafford!” he said: “I really seem to have lost all power of re- flection! Altogether I am terribly embarrassed. The Duchess is to meet me at Dover to-morrow: we are going together on the Continent. She fancies that I am at Hastings, where we have friends residing. She may even have already arrived at Dover for aught that I know—though I have not seen her travelling-carriage pass this way.” * But it is impossible, my lord,’ I exclaimed, “that you can leave poor Mary so soon, and in such circumstances. There’s the funeral to super- intend. I myself will cheerfully do anything to relieve Mary of anxiety and trouble: but there are certain things which your Grace only can look after. And suppose too that Mrs. Oldcastle should refuse the fayour which I purpose to seek at her hands % “Good heavens! I am bewildered!” said the Duke: and his agitated walk was resumed. “If this were to get to the ears of the Duchess—if she were to learn that even in the first years of our marriage I kad contracted this intimacy I “ Hark, my lord!—what is that?” I suddenly ejaculated, as strange alarming sounds broke upon my ears. It seemed as if some equipage—a stage-coach, a post-chaise, or travelling-carriage, it was impos- sible to conjecture which—had suddenly come to a full stop, accompanied by a crash as if it were breaking down, and this being followed by the plunging of horses, the confused cries of men, and the screams of women, I rushed out of the house, closely followed by the Duke. It was now eleven o'clock at night: but the heavens were covered with stars—the weather was beautiful—and it was so light that all objects were clearly discernible. We sped to the gate; and just at that very in- stant two females were approaching it,—they evidently having alighted from an equipage which bad broken down at a distance of about fifty yards. I could cistinguish the postilions unharnessing their four horses; and the glare of the lamps showed me likewise a couple of domestics in livery —but what livery it was I did not recognise. As the two females drew near, 1 saw that one was a lady, while the other had the appearance of being her maid; and they were both coming towards the gate. : “Good heavens!” suddenly murmured the Duke with a groan: “the Duchess herself!” And the Duchess of Ardleigh it assuredly was. The Duke stood petrified with terror and bewil- derment; and I myself was seized with con- fusion and excitement—for I foresaw a scene of some description or another. Indeed, unless the whole truth were told, I perceived at a glance that I myself might become the object of the most in- jurious suspicions on being thus discovered with the Duke, at that time of night, at an isolated cottage, “What! Miss Trafford? is it possible?-—you here!” cried the Duchess, at first in tones of joy- ous amazement: but the next instant suddenly descrying her ducal husband, she drew herself up with disdainful hauteur to her full height, saying, in accents of cold contemptuous scorn, “And it is thus that the celebrated Miss Trafford passes as a virtuous character before the world ?” “Madam,” I responded indignantly, ‘“ Miss Trafford’s reputation is beyond suspicion. His Grace, your husband, must explain everything.” The Duchess looked astonished at this answer on my part: and she turned towards the Duke, saying, “Perhaps you will explain, my lord, that which Miss Trafford does not on her part choose to clear up.” “ My God, what can I say P” murmured the be. wildered Duke of Ardleigh. “But we cannot talk here!—don’t let me seen by the other do- mestics !” “As you are without your hat, my lord,” said the Duchess, “I presume that you must be tem- porarily residing in this house, to which I was coming for shelter. Perhaps it will not be indis- creet,” she added ironically, “if I, as your wife, entered thither with you.” Again her looks were bent full of suspicion on my countenance; and I felt my cheeks burning with the blush of indignation that rose up to them, as I turned to the Duke, saying, “ My lord, all this must be cleared up—everything must be told! I neither can nor will suffer on your ac- count! Madam,” I added, turning to the Duchess and speaking ia a solemn voice, “ there is death in that house—and this is the reason that 1 am tem- porarily there. Enter—but recollect it is the place of affliction and of mourning.” “The house of death ?” ejaculated the Duchess of Ardleigh: “ what can you possibly mean ?” “This, as well as everything else,” I replied, “must be explained by his lordship to your Grace.” The Duchess reflected for a few moments: with all her self-possession and strength of mind she might well be bewildered by this scene that was taking place. She however seemed to think that of the explanations which she was presently to receive, there need beno unnecessary witness; and she suddenly said to her maid, “ Go and tell the servants that they are to be sure to stop the other carriage when it comes up. Remain you there with them. I dare say I shall not be long here, And ah! by the bye, whatsoever you may have just heard, is something that is not to be talked about.” “T understand, my lady,” answered the abigail: and she turned away towards the spot where the misfortune had happened to the equipage. (COMMU ee, gee ase NOOK com