Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

me ee CS SC SUE 160 felt that I looked aghast as I sank back in my chair. The surgeon shook his head, saying, “ I scarcely think that I am mistaken, Miss Percy. Dr. Man- yers himself entertains a similar opinion.” “No! I cannot believe it!” I murmured, in a fainter tone than before, and likewise with a much fainter hope that the opinion of the medical men would prove to be erroneous. “It is true, Miss Percy,” said Mr. Doveton ; “or else never was 1 so deceived in all my life! But I am not deceived—I am confident, backed as I am by the opinion of that eminent man, Doctor Manvers. Yes, Miss Percy, your friend is al- ready three months at least in the course of ma- ternity.” ‘Three months!” I ejaculated ; for I was sud- denly smitten by the coincidence of dates in asso- ciation with the remembrance of an occurrence that was floating in my mind. For it was precisely three months ago that on my return from Willowbridge I had found Mary absent from the house, and that when she came back it was in a mood so strange and with looks so full of the stupor of despair as to be indicative of some calamity that had overtaken her, or of some misdeed that was followed by its remorse. Yes—precisely three months, day for day : for this was the thirtieth of September of which I am now writing, and it was on the thirtieth of June that Mary Glentworth had returned home.in that state of mind which had filled me with mis- givings that had never since been completely sub- dued nor set at rest. “Three months!” I had ejaculated, as this comparison of dates sprang up vividly in my mind; and it was with that kind of start which one gives when an event that has hitherto been involved in the deepest mystery, seems all in a moment to receive an elucidation. “Ah!” said Mr. Doveton: “then, from your manner, Miss Percy—from your looks, which were even affrighted—from the ejaculation which has burst from your lips, I must suppose that your unfortunate friend Miss Glentworth has been the victim of villany, and that a conjecture has arisen in your mind pointing to her seducer?” “No,” I exclaimed, terribly distressed: “if that poor girl have indeed been made the victim of treachery, I am utterly at a loss to conceive who could have been the author of her ruin. But let us not continue this discourse now: and may I hope that the secret--—— ” “The secret is a professional one, Miss Percy— and it is sacred,” interrupted Mr. Doveton. “I should be willing to offer my services as a friend, were it not that I might be deemed selfish And yet this is impossible !” he added, with a sudden assertion of manly dignity; “for you ought to know that Iam too high in my profes- sion and too independent in my means——” “T know it,” I said. “Therefore,” he at once continued, “when I spoke of proffering my services as a friend, I meant that as you two ladies live alone together —and as I know that your society is limited and select—I would offer myself as one who would see the seducer of Miss Glentworth — remonstrate with him—appeal to him—if, alas! it be not use- less for she is exceedingly beautiful, and i _— — ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. young persons of her attractive description, espe- cially on the stage Pardon the observation, Miss Percy—but your character is above even the slightest breath of suspicion Yet as I was about to observe, there are many unprincipled men of rank and distinction—even married men re “TI know all this, Mr. Doveton—I have not been nearly three years upon the stage without becoming aware of the truth of all you are say- ing. I thank you most sincerely for your kind and friendly proffers; and if I should need your generous intervention on Mary’s behalf, I shall avail myself of it.” The surgeon now rose; and without renewing his request to see Mary Glentworth, he took his departure. The moment the front door had closed behind him, my first impulse was to hasten up to Mary’s chamber and beseech her to give me her confidence ; but a second thought held me back. I remembered that her disposition had become changed, and that of late the same frank- ness as formerly had not existed between us—at least from herself towards me. I resumed my seat, and gave way to my reflections. Five months had elapsed since the explosion in respect to her parentage,—five months since the fatal truth was revealed to her that the Marquis of Dalrymple was her own half-brother! Since that date the young nobleman had been abroad; and I felt convinced that Mary had not become Ais victim. No! And therefore I fixed my thoughts upon that memo- rable occasion three months back, when she had returned home in so strange a state of mind. But how could she have fallen ?—by whom could she have been beguiled within so short a time after her heart’s affections were blighted in respect to Her- bert Dalrymple? I could think of no one who might be the author of this calamity. I was bewildered how to act. Might the medi- cal testimony be wrong? Alas, no! I scarcely dared indulge in such a hope! But if it were right, was it not my bounden duty as Mary’s friend to learn the exact truth as soon as possible, and ascertain if it were practicable to save her reputation by means of marriage? And then the wild idea shot through my mind that by some possibility she might have been wedded in secret. No!—this hypothesis I was compelled to abandon ; for I felt convinced that if there were any founda. tion for it, she would not have kept that secret at least from one whom she knew to be her best and most devoted friend. Then what was I to do? Ah! a thought struck me. I would wait a few days: I would conceal everything that had taken place between the surgeon and myself: I would keep watch at the theatre and elsewhere — and ascertain, if possible, whether there were any per- son on whom her regards were particularly bent— any one who by the external evidences of his own conduct might demonstrate a special interest in the beautiful and rising actress? When my mind was made up to this mode of action, I composed my looks—TI settled my ideas, so that I might be completely on my guard when in Mary’s Glentworth’s presence. About an hour after Mr. Doveton had taken his departure, Mary descended to the room in which I was seated; and presently she asked, as if in a listless indifferent way, whether either of the medical gentlemen had Gomichboo (E(o)