Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 295: what you’re looking at

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282 — ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. the ceremony!—it is accomplished!—our gipsy friend is St. Clair’s bride—and he has borne her to his home!” ‘Tt is marvellous, Beda!” I said: “it trans- cends all the wonders of the most imaginative and preposterous romance! That so wild a scheme as Zarah’s could have succeeded—that she whom but comparatively a short time back, I beheld bare- footed in the neighbourhood of Lady Lilla Essen- dine’s villa—should have succeeded in raising her- self to the position of a rich and distinguished man’s wife, is something to which the mind almost refuses its faith, notwitstanding it knows it to be true !” “ And it zs true!” rejoined Beda. “ But the result has astonished me most of all: for I ex- pected, when the ceremony was over, that Captain St. Clair would walk away scornfully and con- temptuously, leaving the bride behind him: whereas ” “Tell me every detail, Beda!” I interrupted her. “Begin from the commencement! You know how much I am interested in all these cir- cumstances.” ““Tho night passed,” said Beda, “ without any incident to threaten Zarah’s safety or security. At half-past ten o’clock this forenoon, I issued from her lodgings, and bent my way to Captain St. Clair’s house in the neighbourhood of the Regent’s Park. I was informed thatehe had gone out\at an early hour in the morning—but that he had left a message to the effect that if I should call before his return, I was to wait for him. Soon after eleven o’clock he entered the room to which I had been shown. I saw that he was exceed- ingly pale—that he had a very haggard and care- worn look—and that his eyes were somewhat in- flamed—indeed that there was every indication of his having passed a sleepless night. He closed the door, advanced straight up to me, and said in a low voice and with a forced composure, ‘ I have kept my word in every respect up to this point : but am I positively to suppose that Zarah is serious in her intentions, and that there are no possible conditions to which she will listen ?}—‘Her re- solve is fixed,’ I answered; ‘and you can offer nothing to which she will assent.,—He remained silent for a few moments, during which his face seemed to become ghastlier, and his lips, ashy white, quivered till he suddeniy bit them as if to restrain their tremulousness. Then he said, as if acting under an abrupt impulse, while he grasped my wrist so tightly that the fingers which closed upon it appeared to be made of iron, ‘A thousand guineas, Beda, for you, if you will tell me who is this faithful friend of hers to whose hands she has confided the sealed packet of which you spoke to me. last night?”—I shook my head resolutely.—‘* By heaven, you know and you must tell me !’ he exclaimed, as if maddened and goaded to desperation.—Again I shook my head, my looks quailing not before him.—‘ Beda,’ he resumed, ‘I said a thousand guineas; I will double the sum if you will consent to serve me in this instance! I will moreover take you to a jeweller’s, where you shall select for yourself the costliest gems; I will give you the richest wardrobe that gold can purchase; I will furnish a house for you in the most sumptuous manner; I will make a lady of you; and I will for ever be your friend !’—But for the third time I shook my head; and never shall I forget how ghastly was the look of disappoint- ment which seized upon the countenance of Cap. tain St. Clair, My dear Miss Percy, if I haye told you all these things which to such an extent regard myself, it is for no purpose of making a parade of my refusal of the temptations held out, but simply in obedience to your mandate that I should acquaint you with everything.” “Yes, Beda—omit not a single detail!” I said: *‘ tell me all that passed !” * Captain St. Clair perceived that I was resolute in resisting his offers,” pursued the faithful girl; “and after a few moments of speechless agony on his part—for such I saw that it was—he appeared by an effort to regain a forced and cold composure —but, Oh! how unnatural!—‘ Come,’ he said; “conduct me to the place where Zarah awaits us.’ —He was then moving towards the door; but suddenly recollecting something, he stopped short, and said in a low deep tone, ‘ Beda, in the pre- sence of those who are to assist at the ceremony, it is not necessary that it should appear as if I were yielding to coercion.—‘ Not a syllable will escape my lips, to convey such an impression,’ 1 answered; ‘and I can assure you, Captain St, Clair, that Zarah’s demeanour will be regulated to the standard of your own.’—He said not another word, but issued from the room. I followed him; and on passing out of the house, I saw a cab standing in the street. It was not his own cabrio- let: it was an ordinary public vehicle.—‘ Now give your instructions to the driver,’ he whispered to me, ‘and let us proceed to our destination.’—I told the man whither to take us; and on entering the eab, I found two persons already seated therein. These were a clergyman and his clerk. St, Clair took his place in the vehicle, which immediately drove away. For some minutes not a word was spoken: but I noticed that the reverend gentle- man and his clerk contemplated me with interest and attention. Captain St. Clair at length began to discourse in a cheerful tone with the clergy- man: but adept though he be at dissimulation, he could not possibly on that cccasion deceive others as to the real state of his feelings. No doubt the minister and the clerk must have sus- pected that there was something strange in the proceeding for which their services were enlisted: but it was not for them to offer any comment. The cab reached its destination; and we all alighted. 1 led the way up to the sitting-room where Zarah awaited us; and immediately on crossing the threshold, Captain St. Clair advanced towards Zarah, whose hand he took; and he breathed a few words in her ear. I have had no opportunity of learning what they were: but I have no doubt that they were to the same effect as the injunction which he had given to me— namely, that it was not to appear as if he were acting under coercion. The demeanour of Zarah was perfectly collected and composed; and not once throughout the ceremony—no, nor even at its termination—could the slightest expression of ungenerous triumph be discerned in her looks. I should observe that she was dressed with neatness but elerance—with nv indication of the bridal cos- tume,—no white veil,no orange-blossoms! The ceres mony progressed; and though St, Clair’s cheeks con- tinued very pale, yet his demeanour was composed CIN cS Com Ghboo