Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 315: what you’re looking at

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

ag I Ne ee ts 802 — conducting it with as much circumspection as pos- sible—and all I could do was to abide the issue with patience. Mr. Richards was exceedingly vexed and an: noyed af my refusal to reappear in the character of Cleopatra : he first of all told me outright that I was violating the terms of my compact, and that he could force me to adhere to them if he thought fit; but I speedily gave him to under- stand that I was determined to consult my own feelings of decency and propriety in preference to any other consideration. He was somewhat amazed to find me so resolute: he began to talk more humbly, and even to apologize obsequiously : but I had not the slightest wish to humiliate hin— and I therefore rejoined in such a way that we be- came good friends again. “ Antony and Cleopatra” had been announced for repetition : but it was re- called in consequence of the determination I had taken ; and I appeared in some character that was more congenial to my taste than that of the volup- tuous Egyptian Queen. ; On this evening of which I am speaking, I ob- served the Marquis of Tynedale in the same box which he had occupied on the former occasion: but I affected not to notice his presence. Never once while I was upon the stage that evening, did I suffer him to perceive that L threw a glance towards him: his very presence was to me an insult and an outrage. Yet two or three times, when he could not observe me, as I was behind:the scenes waiting to go on, I cast looks im the direc- tion of the box in which he was seated ; and I saw that he was watching with the most earnest attention for the moment when I should make my appearance. “The Marquis,” I took the opportunity to whisper in Melissa’s ear, “is present again to- night.” * Yes—I perceive him yonder,” she replied : “but Ido not think, my dear Ellen, he will ever trouble you again. You doubtless remember his handwriting and his seal ?” “ Yes,” I responded: “I have a perfect recol- lection of them both; and if he should dare make the attempt to communicate with me again 43 “You will put his letter into the fire P” sug- gested Melissa: “ you would not think of open- ing it?—and you certainly would not condescend to take the trouble of returning him a second letter in a blank envelope ?” “ No—TI assuredly would not,” I answered : and the next moment I had to go upon the stage. Two or three days afterwards I received a note from Lady Cecilia Urban. She reproached me in gentle but -kind terms for not having been to see her very lately; and she begged me to fa- vour her with a call. She and her aunt had moved to a new residence, near Knightsbridge— indeed close by the Rutland Gate; and she ex- pressed her wish to have my opinion upon their present mansion. I accordingly resolved to lose no time in visiting the young lady who from cir- cumstances had formed so strong an attachment forme. It was at about one o’clock in the after- noom that I proceeded to Knightsbridge: and I was compelled to go in a cab, for an accident had happened on the preceding day to Mr. Norman’s carriage. Having passed an agreeable hour with Lady Cecilia—and haying promised that I would ELLEN PEECY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. = soon return to pay her a longer visit—I took my leave. The weather was exceedingly fine, and I resolved to walk through Hyde Park, as for the last few days I had taken but little exercise, and I had a slight pain in the head. I had proceeded about half-way through the Park, when I observed a tall, elderly, aristocratic-looking personage ap- proaching me on foot; and I at once recognised the Marquis of.Tynedale. He had suddenly di- verged from the path he was previously pursuing, and it was evidently that he might accost me. The blood rushed to my cheeks; and I could not help exclaiming within myself, and with a strong feeling of bitterness too, “Am I over and over again to be exposed to the insults of libertines? —do they imagine that they have a sort of pre- scriptive righé to address their overtures to every female who happens to be connected with the stage P” Yet while I was thus giving secret and silent — vent to my feelings, I was pursuing my way as steadily as if perfectly unconscious of the approach of the nobleman—and likewise with an air as if ignorant of his presence. I wondered within my- self whether he would dare address me; and I rapidly revolved in my mind the manner in which I should treat him if he displayed that audacity. To rebuke or reproach him, I reflected, would only be to encourage a conversation ; and therefore the better mode of behaviour on my part would be to treat him with silent contempt, and endeavour to make him feel that mighty as a rich peer of Eng- land he might be, yet that by his actions he was degraded in my eyes to the level of the lowest and meanest of human beings. It was evidently with hesitation and diffidence that he was drawing near,—his pace becoming slower; and yet as he was cutting me off, as it were, by the diverging route he had taken from his original path, I could only escape him alto- gether by turning away in another direction. For a moment I thought of doing so: but then the next instant I reflected that it would be impolitic and unwise to suffer him to fancy that he was of sufficient importance for me to be so influenced by his presence. All of a sudden he seemed to make up his mind to address me: he threw off his hesi- tation; and in a few instants he was by my side. Then I stopped short, flung an indignant look upon him, and continued my way. “Ellen, why thus cruel?” he said, still keeping by my side. “Is it possible that ne I now again stopped short—bent upon him another indignant look—and turned away in a direction at right angles with that which I had previously been pursuing. But again was he by my side. “ Ellen—dearest Ellen!” he said, throwing into his voice, which was naturally not inharmonious, as much tenderness as possible,—“I implore of you to tell me why you are thus cruel? Is it possible that after nf “My lord,” I exclaimed, for the third time stopping short, and confronting him with an in- dignation half fierce, half haughty, “I insist—I command that you leave me! You have learnt my decision—and in terms too which I should have thought would have been sufficiently signifi- cant 4 “TI know, Ellen,” he interrupted me with a cS (COMMU