Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 351: what you’re looking at

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338 - aside, as if to conceal some strong feelings which were agitating him. My father and I withdrew ; and the next moment we issued from the lawyer’s house. CHAPTER LIx. THE CHEQUE, I can scarcely describe the sensations which I ex- perienced at the termination of the business with Mr. Parks: but I really believe that I was more rejoiced at having obtained possession of the house at Leeds, than the cheque for the fortune itself. That house, whore so many years of my life had been passed, was now my own; and I promised myself the satisfaction of proceeding thither to visit it with the least possible delay. “What o’clock is it?” asked my father, when we were at a short distance from the lawyer’s house. . “Tt is ten minutes to five,” I answered, consult- ing my watch. “And the cheque is drawn upon a banking- house in the City,” observed my father. “ We have not time to get it cashed to-day—for the banks close at five.” “That is of no consequence,’ I said: “ to: morrow will do just as well. I suppose you have not the slightest doubt that the cheque will be aid 2” , “Not the slightest,” rejoined my father, “ I am morally certain that it is as good as a bank- note. If for a single instant the faintest shadow of suspicion had arisen in my mind, I should have advised you not to conclude the business until Mr, Parks produced the whole sum in ready money upon his desk. But everything showed that he was most serious—most earnest. That appeal made to you in the first instance by his wife— then the well-planned and _ skilfully devised arrangemert by which the colour of validity has been given to the forged will—the signatures in the presence of the clerk—the voluntary cession of the house at Leeds—everything, in short, proved that Mr. Parks was for once in his life acting a straightforward part!” “For which, however,’ I interjected, “ he can take little credit to himself if he comes to reason with his own conscience ; for the whole proceeding was forced upon him.” “True!” said my father: “but you have for- given him for the past—and though you have acted generously, yet you could scarcely have done otherwise when the man’s conduct assumed the aspect of an atonement. Referring to the cheque which you have in your possession, understand well that if it were not paid, Mr. Parks could im- mediately be sued for the amount; and the result would be utter ruin if he were really without the means of liquidating the debt. Thus it is not for a moment probable that he would have courted such a position as this. All these considerations passed through my mind while we were in the lawyer’s office: step by step I carefully watched the progress of the transaction ; and I firmly be- lieve, my dear Hiller, that if you had been accom: tS SI Pe FS YS A / ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. - panied by the astutest legal adviser, tha results would have been just the same.” “Well, my dear father,” I said, after a few moments’ reflection, “I, like yourself, entertain the fullest faith in the value of this cheque: but we will not until to-morrow speak a syllable in deliberation on the manner in which the capital is to be laid out when it comes into our hands, Neither shall I breathe a syllable to my friends in Hunter Street respecting the transactions of this day. Inshort, we will wait until the last step shall have been taken, and until we shall have the proof that everything has progressed favourably to the very end.” “Bo it as you will, my dear girl,” said my father; “and therefore I will reserve until to- morrow all congratulations, in the same way that we are to abstain from all deliberations.” “Yes,” I said, “because there is just the bare possibility that woe may have been deceived—and we should feel supremely ridiculous if we had launched out into extravagant ideas and then found that they were all based upon a mockery and a delusion,” © At half-past ten to-morrow morning,” said my father, “I will come and fetch you: we will pro- ceed together into the City—and by eleven o’clock all doubt will be thoroughly eleared up in one way or another. Heaven knows, my dear child, that after all my sad experiences of life I have no reason to be sanguine!—but I must confess that in the present instance I can scarcely gee how it is possible for us to have been duped.” My father and I now separated; andI returnod ~ to Hunter Street. I so composed my demeanour that my friends should not be enabled to suspect that anything extraordinary had taken place,— though I resolved that if the cheque were paid on the morrow, I would not lose a moment in reveal- ing to them my good fortune. And though I was not completely sanguine on the point, yet I really could not see how it was possible that the lawyer could hope to steal a march on me by the perpe- tration of so gross a fraud. ‘Thus in spite of my- self I found my mind revolving certain plans to be executed if I should become possessed of my fortune. I would assuredly leave the stage ; and I would write off to my cousin Harry in America, to intimate that there was no necessity for him to toil longer than he thought fit in money-making pursuits. Ah! a thrill of pleasure shot through my heart as this reflection swept into my brain ; for I loved my cousin—yes, dearly loved him! When night came and I was alone in my chamber, I could not help continuing my medita- tions; and they kept me awake for some con- siderable time. Even if by any possibility the cheque should not be paid, it was nevertheless certain beyond the. possibility of doubt or dispute | that I had possession of the house at Leeds. The | deed of conveyance was locked up in my desk, — together with my purse, into which I had put the © cheque for the 36,3007, In respect to that house L might therefore in safety and security arrange my plans. If it wanted reparation I would re- pair it: I would do all I could to preserve if, in memory of my deceased grandfather, who, ag it proved after all, had really left me his heiress and bequeathed to me every tittle of his property,—not leaving me dependent upon his old housekeoper, SAT LE TT CONMICEIOOKS Gom