Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 98: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, TINE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. 85 panied by another female domestic, bringing the restoratives that I had asked for. In a few mi- nutes Lady Lilla began to show signs of life; and she gasped painfully as the lungs resumed their play. “We require a more powerful restorative!” I exclaimed. “This vinegar is poor !—these salts have lost their pungency! Surely there must be something here ?” I sped to the toilet-table; but found nothing that I thought of any use. ‘In the dressing-room perhaps?” I cried, now hastening to that door whence I had seen Lady Lilla emerge during the previous night. “ Dressing-room, Miss ?” said the maid. “ That is not a dressing-room.” “Then what is it?” I asked, in astonishment ; and my fingers grasped the handle. “T don’t know, Miss,” replied the maid. have never been in it.” The handle had already turned in my grasp: but the door itself was locked—and the key was not init. For a moment I was smitten with pro- found surprise at the singularity of the young woman's observation: but Lilla’s condition was such as speedily to absorb all other considerations. She was recovering, it is true: but I saw the ne- cessity of applying strong restoratives in order to prevent a relapse before the surgeon should arrive. I should here observe that a beautiful little spaniel of the King Charles breed, and which was a great pet with her ladyship, had found its way into the room; and with that peculiar instinct with which dogs are inspired, it was moaning near the foot of the bed, as if it were conscious of an approaching death. The circumstance alarmed me; and I saw the two maids exchange ominous looks as if they thought that it was all over with their mistress. “Oh, for some powerful restorative!” I exclaim- ed; “some strong perfume—some essence ™ “There’s lavender-water and there’s eau-de- Cologne on the toilet-table,” said the lady’s-maid. “Something stronger!” I ejaculated; and my eyes swept around the chamber. “Ah! I wonder what this is?’—and I snatched up the bottle in the filigree case from the mantel. *T do not know what it is, Miss,” responded the maid. “I do not remember ever to have seen it there before to-day.” “Tt is some strong perfume, I have no doubt,” I said. “It is hermetically fastened: it cannot possibly have lost its power !” While thus speaking, I was unscrewing the silver top; but this was by no means an easy task —for it fitted very tight, and did not appear to have been recently removed. But in less than a minute it was off; and then I endeavoured to take out the glass stopper. This proceeding was equally difficult; and for more than another minute I despaired of effecting my purpose. Fortunately however Lady Lilla was now rapidly recovering. She opened her eyes, and gazed vacantly around her. At that instant I succeeded in extracting the glass stopper; and I was on the very point of applying the bottle to Lady Lilla’s nostrils, when she seemed to give a sudden and violent convulsive start, so that by the quick movement of her arm she dashed the phial from my hand. The glass was shattered to pieces; and Lady “Ty ED Lilla Essendine fell back into a deep swoon again. “The excitement of recovery was too much for |ber, Miss!” said the lady’s-maid: “how convul- sively she tosses her arms about !” I now hastened to apply the lavender-water and the eau-de-Cologne which I had previously re- jected; and ina few minutes Lilla again displayed signs of life. Her recovery was slow, but gradually sure; and on regaining her consciousness, she en- deavoured to say something to me—for her lips moved and she was visibly struggling for the power of utterance. J implored her to be tranquil: me- thought there was a strange wildness now succeed- ing the vacancy of her look on first opening her eyes this second time—but if so, it quickly passed away. “ A thousand thanks, dear Killen,” she at length feebly murmured, “for your kindness! But did I dream? or was there something broken ?” “I deeply regret,’ I answered, “that the pretty little glass ornament should have been destroyed. I thought it contained some strong perfume But the silver case is safe !”’ “Yes, yes—it did contain perfume!” interjected Lilla. “Never mind the accident, Ellen. I feel much better now:’—and she made an effort to rise from her couch. “Remain here a little longer,” I said: then turning to the domestic who had accompanied the lady’s-maid to the room, I bade her sweep up the broken glass; for I had just accidentally trodden upon it, while picking up the filigree case: and I was fearful lest it might cut Lilla’s flesh when she should descend from the bed, as she had no shoes on—only the white silk stockings upon her exqui- sitely shaped feet. The command was immediately obeyed; and the glass was swept carefully up. Lilla now bade the two maids retire, as she wished to remain alone with me. In a few minutes she rose and sat upon the sofa. I gently inquired if she were subject to such fits: but she assured me that she had never experienced one before; and then I recollected that the maid had appeared too much bewildered to be accustomed to scenes of this kind. I again apologized for the accident in respect to the bottle: but I pointed to the filigree case which I myself had placed upon the mantel, and assured her that it was uninjured. She begged me not to think “any more of the occurrence, for that it was a trifle not worth an apology. In a few minutes the lady’s-maid ascended to say that the surgeon had arrived: but Lady Lilla declined to see him, de- claring that she was now well enough to dispense with his services. She thought that an airing would do her good; and we accordingly descended to the carriage, which was in waiting. Her ladyship was accustomed to take the pet dog with her when riding out into the country: but on reaching the hall, we observed that the animal was not following as usual. I now remem- bered that it was in the bed-chamber during her ladyship’s swoon; and I fancied that it must havo been shut in there. I accordingly volunteered to run up and fetch the little spaniel while Lilla en. tered the carriage. On ascending to her chamber, I called the dog ; but it did not make its appear- ance. I was about to leave the room, when my eye caught sight of something which was half con- ; leiesieceen =” ee ae CORNIECLOO <S) Com