Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 348: what you’re looking at

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ea ae ELLEN PERCY ; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRUSS, Miss Percy—and you likewise, sir,” proceeded the lawyer, “ that an accident might some day en- gender a whisper in reference to that fact; and if the yoice of accusation were to be raised against me, proclaiming that I was a forger, vain and fruitless were it for me to hope or attempt to pre- serve my character from opprobrium by replying, | *Yes—but I have restored the fortune and the howse ? 33 I was struck by the truth of these observations: and glancing at my father, I perceived by his countenance that he likewise admitted their force. *‘T stand in the light of a criminal,’ continued Mr. Parks, “ who has been compelled to disgorge his plunder, but who throws himself at the feet of the plundered individuals, imploring that they will pardon him—that they will throw a veil over his crime—and that they will not leave a chance of its transpiring to overwhelm himself and his family sooner or later with oblequy and disgrace !” “ And to me, Mr. Parks,” I replied, after an- other glance at my father, “you shall not appeal in vain! This pledge I have already given to your wife: I now renew it unto yourself.” “‘T for my part,” interjected my father, “ echo the sentiments of my daughter: but yet I do not see how we are to aid you. The forged will can- not be reclaimed from Doctor’s Commons “ No!” ejaculated Mr. Parks: “ but it need not stand the chance of ever being branded as a for- gery!—that stigma may be wiped away from it! —the character of validity may be given to it; and it may be legalised by the simplest operation —by the simplest act on your part!” “But what if my daughter and myself,” ex- claimed my father, “solemnly pledge ourselves never to breathe a syllable to the effect that the will is a forgery? Indeed, we have no tempta- tion so to do; for, as you yourself have said, my daughter now stands in the same light as if no will had ever been forged at all, and as if the original one of Mr. Forsyth remained in force.” “Ab, but look you!” exclaimed Mr. Parks: “for the sake of my dear children [ am most painfully apprehensive, and therefore most scrupu- lously cautious. You, sir—and you likewise, Miss Percy, may pledge yourselves never to breathe a syllable—and you may faithfully as woll as kindly mean to fulfil your promise. But a thousand acci- dents may happen! There is such a thing as speaking in the delirium of fever—or talking in one’s dreams—or in an unguarded moment letting slip a word in short, it isa risk too fearful for me to incur!—and though I am not in a position to dictate, nor pretend to any such power, yet I earnestly hope and entreat that the favour I ask will not be refused.” “Proceed to explain yourself still farther,” I said, ‘“ You have informed us of your motives, and I confess that to my mind they are strong enough :”’—for I could not help thinking that a man who was about to part with such an enor- mous sum of money, notwithstanding the fraudu- lent means by which his mother and himself originally obtained it, had some shadow of justi- fication in stipulating for conditions favourable towards himself, “ T understand the motive of Mr. Parks, as well as I comprehend his position,” observed my father. “ You wiab, sir, in plain terms to be totally with. | SQ ——— = LA I PR a ee eS eer 335 out fear or apprehension in. respect to any living soul? You wish to have the certainty that in no moment of caprice or spite my daughter or myself might be enabled to turn round upon you?” “You have put the thing as a man of the world,’ exclaimed Parks; “and that is the plain Huglish of it. Now look you! Suppose I had given a forged bill of exchange, which fell into your hands--and suppose you came here to de- mand payment of it,—should I not insist upon having such bill destroyed before my eyes the in- stant that I paid down the amount? Well, then, the present case is pretty nearly parallel. We cannot destroy the forged will, it is true: but we may give to the whole affair a complexion which will utterly absolve me from blame.” ’ “ Or rather you would say, Mr, Parks, releas you from the responsibility attached to the mis- deed ;”--and my father spoke these words seriously, ° “ Well, phrase it as you will,” rejoined the lawyer: “ the fact exists the same. Now I tell you what I propose should be done. Let us as- sume that the will—the forged will, you know— which has been proved at Doctors’ Commons, is really a valid one. Let us suppose that it was actually the legitimate will of the late Mr. For- syth. Well, this will cuts you off altogether, Miss Percy, and leaves you dependent on the old genile- man’s housekeeper, to whom he made over every: thing no uncommon occurrence, by tho bye, with superannuated old gentlemen, as I in my capacity of a lawyer well know. ‘You and your friends think yourselves aggrieved by this will— and natural enough! You threaten me with legal proceedings to dispute it—you are going to throw the whole thing into Chancery—where, if you do so, it will remain for years and the entire amount will be devoured by costs. All this, mind you, is a supposition But you are both following me ?” My father inclined his head in token of assent; and I said, “ Yes, Mr, Parks, I am following you. Proceed.” ‘‘ Well then,” resumed tho lawyer, “in order to avoid this terrific embarrassment—in order, I say, to keep out of a Chancery suit—let us go on sup- posing that I am accessible to reason. You like- wise, Miss Percy, are reasonable ; and the result is that we agree to a compromise, I have got hold of the fortune; and possession is, you know, niue points of the law. I am in a position to dictate my terms to a certain extent: you, on the con- trary, having but slight confidence in what may be the issue of law-proceedings, are willing to accept almost anything so long as you get some- thing. Well then, after due negotiations you agree to accept three thousand pounds; and I agree to give that sum as a means of settling the affair. Ihave drawn up a deed to this effect: you have nothing to do but to sign it in the presence of one of my clerks as a witness—and all will be over. You will have done me a service and set my mind at rest; while on the other hand you have done yourself no harm-—for in reality you will have got the whole of the fortune, and I shall have nothing but this bit of parchment to console me.” “You say that you have already prepared a deed,” observed my father: “ will you permit me to look at it?” Goi me ebook (COU