Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 364: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. 351 “The entire chateau was destroyed. But not contented with having accomplished tlis much, I ordered the blackenea remnants to be removed elsewhere, the very foundations to be dug up, and every brick and stone to be carried off. I hikewise ordered the neighbouring grove to be eat dowo— the walls of the gardens to be destroyed = the fenees of the park and pleasure-grouuds to be broken up and burnt. Then I commanded the peasants to come with their teams and tkeir ploughs, so that every trace of where 4 mansion once stood sbould be obliterated. And I tarried in that neighbourhood while the work was being done: with my own eyes did I assure myself that it was eftectually accomplished — until at length as I stood in the midst of that spot which I had made a desolation and a waste, I felt as if I had done a deed which was calculated to tranquillise to some little extent a most uneasy cotiseience. Then I went to a notary; and I ordered him to draw up a deed by virtue of which I bequeathed the chief portion of the domain of Carboni to the Convent of St. Catarina, to be held as an endowment for the dwelling of the Holy Sisters om condition that the three hundred acres of land which had just been ploughed up, should for ever be left uncui- tivated, to remain a desolation and a waste, or to become a wilderness. All this have I done, Bea- trice! The chateau of Carboni has ceased to exist; and the traveller who may now roam through that domain, will not so much as tread upon a single stone belonging to that once stately pile. “Ob! would that I had the courage to seek you, if only for a few moments, that I might tell you by words uttered from the lip, how I went step by step through all the details which I have been describing on this paper! I feel that I could impart to a verbal description an energy and a power which into the mere written language it is impossible to infuse. But I dare not present my- self before you at the home of your sister and brother-in-law ; and therefore if some day, obedient to a sudden impulse, I shall resolve upon making the endeavour to see you, it must be by means of an earnest entreaty that you will come to me, if only for a few minutes. For 1 am now in this secluded cottage “Yet how foolish and absurd for me to con- tinue thus, as if what I am now committing to paper were to be read by you to-day or to-morrow! and as if it were not intended that this document is to be read by you only after my death! Oh, Beatrice! there are times when I feel as if I were going mad !—times when my brain is aching and throbbing as if it were about to burst, in awful companionship with that heart which seems ready to burst likewise! “ Ob! may you be happy !—may heaven in its mercy mitigate the keen sense of the wrongs you have experienced and the sufferings you have en- dured! You are still young—still beautiful; and you possess great riches. I shall not be much longer in this world. To think of living years were madness !—a few months or weeks, or per- haps days, will terminate my existence. Tien, Beatrice, think how you may re-enter upon the path of happiness—study to turn your steps into some route that is bordered with flowers—and let not the recollection of the past embitter the pre- sent or the future. If one so criminal as I, dared: to breathe blessings, | would bless thee ;—and in my heart 1 do so, though I dare not to this paper commit those solemn and sacred invotations. Yet believe me, Beatrice, whed I shall have gone hence —when I shall have passed from the limits of an earthlg sphere to the illimitable range of a celes- tial one,—if there, in those regions which lie beyond the grave, my spirit shall be purified and my soul lifted into the mansions of the Eternal, I will become to thee in another world your good genius, 1 who have been your evil one in this!” Thus terminated the strange wild document, to which neither address nor date nor name was af- fixed. But I felt assured that it had not been written many days; for only three weeks had elapsed since the unfortunate Count of Carboni took up his abode at the cottage; and at that cottage the papér was evidently written, -I men- tioned this fact to Beatrice, who had remained planged in profound and mournful thought while I was perusing the document; and she said ina low tremulous voice, “ You see; my dear Hilen, that his heart was yearning to obtain a last inter- view with me; and would to God that we had met !—for if he had spoken as passionately and as feelingly as he has there written, I should have proclainted my forgiveness with far more fervour and sincerity than [ promised it on the occasion when you brought him to kneel at my feet in London!” “ And now, Beatrice,” I said, “1 must remind you of a duty which you have to perform. The corpse will remain where it now lies, until after the Coroner shall have holden his inquest—which will doubtless be in the coutse of this day Vs “]T understand you, Ellen,” interrupted the Countess of Carboni: “it is for me to superintend the obsequies of the deceased. Yes—I will do so! Bat now let us at once despatch a courier to my sister and her husband, to tell them all that has oceurred. And I will enclose this document ; for after the perusal of it, the Marquis of Campanella may not perhaps be disinelined to pay the last sad office to the deceased and aceompany his remains to the tomb.” The courier was despatched accordingly ; and searcély was this duty accomplished, whén the Mayor of Dover was announced, CHAPTER LXI. THE PIER*HEAD: Tue Mayor eame to inform us that not the slightest trace had been obtained of Luigi; nor could it be ascertained that any person at all an- swering to his description had beenin Dover. A clever officer had visited all the hotels, public- houses, and lodging-houses, for the purpose of in- stituting inquiries: bat nothing could be learnt of the supposed assassin. The Mayor had seen the Coroner, who intended to hold the inquest at two o’elock in the afternoon of that same day; and his worship signified to us that ouf presence a8 wit- nessee would be required. For this announcement we were fully prepared ; and we promised fo at- tend accordingly. | When the Mayor had taken his departure—it ~ COM ElONOOLK (COU