Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

Fe ce nee IRE IEERG SENET ainsi = ace SIG TST 6 ELLEN PERCY ; OB, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, “Mr. Singleton,” I said,—a worthy and talented man. He attended upon Juliet in her confinement, on me in my illness, and on poor Mrs. Oldcastle in the last moments of her exist- ence.” “TJ will do nothing to-night, Ellen,” said Mr. Norman: “it is too late. But to-morrow morn- ing > ; * And you will do nothing, my dear sir,” I said, without consulting Juliet P” “ Here she is to answer for herself,” ejaculated Mr. Norman, as Lady Frederick Ravenscliffe en- tered the room at the moment. “Come and sit down with us, my dear child,” continued her sire: “we are speaking most seriously in reference to Frederick be “Oh! what would you advise, my dear father f” exclaimed Juliet, as she placed herself by his side. “T am dreadfully alarmed on poor Frederick’s ac- count! I was in hopes that his spirits were cheer- ing up: but the instant he entered his chamber just now, his mind seemed suddenly to give way —he threw himself upon the bed and burst into a perfect agony of weeping !” “To tell you the truth, Juliet,” said Mr. Nor- man, “I apprehended some such reaction as this: for with an invalid extremes are always followed by extremes. Now compose yourself, Juliet—do not be alarmed—I am doing everything for the best—and therefore you must answer me a ques- tion or two.” “Speak, my dear father—speak!” said Juliet, full of nervous agitation. “I am glad you have come But pray speak !” *T think I understood you,” said Mr. Norman, ‘in the course of the few hurried words which we exchanged when I first entered the house, that you have never seen the mark which the accident has left upon Frederick’s forehead P” ** No, not once,”’ responded Juliet. **'You have not so much as caught a glimpse of it P’’ proceeded her father inquiringly. “Not once,” again answered Juliet. Mr. Norman proceeded to question his daughter ; and he elicited from her lips some of the parti- culars which she had already given to me: namely, that Frederick returned from London with a black bandage bound about his head—that he had never removed it in her presence—that he would not listen to her entreaty that Mr. Singleton’s advice should be asked—that the lamp was excluded from the bed-chamber at night—that Frederick suffered from horrible dreams, crying out in anguish—and that he had been altogether wretched and misera- ble until within the last few hours, when his spirits had apparently experienced so sudden and remarkable an elevation. Mr. Norman listened with the deepest attention to everything that Juliet told him; and when she had finished speaking, he reflected profoundly for upwards ofa minute. At length he said, address- ing his Gaughter, “ My dear girl, I deem it abso- lutely necessary—for a variety of reasons which I will not now explain to you—that medical advice should be called in on your husband’s behalf.” “It is useless, father, to offer such a sugges- tion !” exclaimed Juliet : “for I know that he will refuse it. I know likewise that it will only afflict aod anger him.” “‘ Nevertheless, the course must be adopted,” answered Mr. Norman. ‘“ We must not always consult the wishes of invalids. Your own poor mother Juliet, had an aversion to the doctor— whereas if she had oftener consulted him, she might be spared to us now. Say nothing to Frederick of my intention—it will be time enough to address him on the point when Mr. Singleton’ shall be in the house.” “T will follow your advice, my dear father, in all things,” rejoined Juliet, in a mournful tone and with a look of deep sadness ; “ for I do indeed feel that something must be done—and I know that whatsoever you do will be for the best !” We retired early to our respective chambers; but before I sought my couch, I sat down to. reflect upon Mr. Norman’s intention in respect to Mr. Singleton. Should I seek the earliest oppor- tunity on the morrow to whisper to Lord Frede- rick a warning of Mr. Norman’s resolve ?—or should I now let matters take their own course, as a catastrophe seemed inevitable, and it was only aggravating suspense and anxiety in some quar- ters, and painful apprehensions in others, to en- deavour to ward it offP Besides, I disliked the idea of doing anything in a direct and positive manner to frustrate Mr. Norman’s designs or to baffle his views. I therefore came to the conclu- sion that I would suffer the affair in respect to the summoning of medical assistance to take its own course. I retired to rest; and slumber was just stealing upon my eyes, when I was startled by a cry which almost resembled a yell of human agony; so that the blood stagnated in my veins and I felt as if my hair was standing on end. I sat up in bed and listened. Two or three other cries—but more subdued than the first—reached my ear: and then all was still. The chamber which I occupied was on the same floor as that where Lord and Lady Fre- derick Ravenscliffe slept: there was an untenanted room between the two—the walls were thick—and yet I had heard those sounds with a fearful plain- ness. Oh! how deeply I pitied poor Juliet, lying by the side of one who started up in the midst of his dreams and gave vent to such hideous yells! * Yes,” I said to myself, “all this must as- suredly be brought to an end of some kind or an- other—and the sooner the better !” It was long before I could compose myself to slumber; and even when sleep did visit my eyes, the appalling yells of mental anguish seemed still to be ringing in my brain. I rose in the morning with a headach, with a pale countenance, and with depressed spirits. My toilet was soon accom- plished, and I descended to the breakfast-parlour. I found no one there: and yet I had heard Mr. Norman leave his own room at least three quar- ters of an hour previously. I looked out into the hall: his hat was not there on the peg where he had hung it ; andI therefore felt convinced he had already gone forth to put his design into execution and to see Mr. Singleton. In a few minutes Mr. Norman entered the house; and on joining me in the breakfast parlour, he said in a low voice, and with looks in which a subdued horror was expressed, “ Hllen, did you hear those fearful cries last night? That wretched man has a guilty conscience—I am convinced he has! Some fearful mystery attaches itself to him ; and Lam resolved to fathomit. Not for worlds eee ae RC tS RA RA SNE a 92 POPP AIT OCI I E@ORNICLOOOL<