Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 210: what you’re looking at

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psn i ee , ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. ee CO 197 do not know what it can possibly be. It would prove strange indeed if it should in any way alter her position towards the Ardleighs !” “Indeed, why do you think it may ?” inquired Juliet. “Ido not know—I have no particular reason, ‘unless it were that there was something so strangely significant in Mr. Singleton’s words and manner bs “ I will at once go and send him to you,” said Juliet: “ he has doubtless by this time finished his ministrations to the Duchess. Her Grace was beginning to rally the least thing when I just now left the chamber; but I fear that it must still be many hours, if not even days, ere she will regain her consciousness.” Juliet now quitted the apartment ; and in a few minutes Mr, Singleton made his appearance. “Again we are alone together, Miss Percy,” said the worthy gentleman; “and now we will have some serious discourse. I do not know whe- ther you happen to remember the old gardener who used to be attached to the picturesque little cottage yonder es “To be sure!’ I ejaculated: “I remember him well! Yes—and what is more, I know likewise that he was much attached to Mary. He had known her from her childhood.” “Tam about to speak of that same man,” re- sumed Mr. Singleton; “you know that the unfor- tunate Count of Carboni lived for awhile in that cottage: but of course you know all this full well! because you were at Dover at the time when the unfortunate nobleman met his death. Since that tragic event the cottage has only been let fora short period, to some elderly female, who did not like its loneliness and therefore left it. Now it is expected that a very excellent tenant may take it; and accordingly the landlord has ordered the whole premises to be thoroughly embellished and re- paired. Thompson, the old gardener, was in- structed to get the house in readiness for the reception of the paintersand other workmen. He was yesterday going over the place, when his at- tention was drawn to the wainscot of the principal chamber : “The very chamber,” I ejaculated, “in which poor Mrs. Glentworth died!” “The same,” rejoined Mr, Singleton. “ Well, as I was saying, old Thompson’s attention was drawn to what appeared to be a large crack in the wainscot: but on acloser examination he found that it was occasioned bya sliding panel which had become partially moved out of its setting. Per- haps you will think, Miss Percy, that all this looks very much like a scene in a romance: but I can assure you that it is strictly true 4 “ Do you suppose I doubt, my dear sir?” I ex- claimed. ‘‘ Pray proceed.” “Thompson opened the panel completely,” re- sumed Mr. Singleton; “and he found that it served to conceal a recess which must have been just behind the head of the bedstead that poor Mrs. Glentworth used to occupy. Thus, for a place of concealment for papers nothing could possibly be better. And papers, my dear Miss Percy, were discovered there!” added the surgeon, with a sig- nificant look. “ Papers?” I said inquiringly: “ papers of im- portance ?” LA I i eee ee — ‘“‘'Yes—papers of the utmost importance,” re- joined Singleton. ‘Old Thompson cannot read; and theretore he came straight off to me as one whom he had known for a number of years, and in whom he could put trust. He told me of the dis- covery he had made; and he placed the papers in my hand. I said I would look over them, and if they should prove to be of any importance or value, he would be sure to receive a reward from some quarter or another. In the meantime I bade him say nothing upon the subject to any other person ; for even before I had glanced at the documents, I conceived it to be unquestionable that they must be really of more or less value to have been so care- fully concealed.” “Tam dying with curiosity, Mr. Singleton,” I said ; “for TU perceive that {. am about to learn something which must in some sense or another affect my friend Mary Glentworth’s position.” “TI again repeat that is as it may or may not be, according to circumstances,” replied Mr, Sin- gleton. “ But I will at once tell you the main point which is now brought to light: I will give you the details afterwards. In a word then, Mary Glentworth is not the daughter of the Duke of Ardleigh !” “Good heavens!” I ejaculated in wild asto- nishment: “not the daughter of the Duke of Ardleigh ?” **No—nor even the daughter of her whom she always looked upon as her mother !” I was astounded and stupified : it seemed to me impossible. I gazed in vacant bewilderment upon the surgeon’s countenance: but I saw nothing therein to induce me to believe that he could have any sinister motive for making a misrepresenta- tion—while I knew that he was incapable of so sorry a jest. “Tt is true, Miss Percy,” he said,—* as true as that you are there! Mary Glentworth was only the niece of her whom she regarded as_ her mother: but the aunt evidently loved the girl as much as a mother herself could have done. It is a strange, wild, romantic story !” “It must be,” I murmured, scarcely able to emerge from the surprise which had seized upon me, but feeling as if I were groping my way out of the dark mazes of a dream. Then a thought swept like vivid lightning through my brain. Goud heaven! if this were true, Herbert Dalrymple and Mary might after all have gone to the altar—there was no impedi- ment of a moral tie nor in the shape of kinship’s bond to prevent them! It was not a half-brother loving a half-sister: everything was different— Ob! so different from what had been proclaimed and supposed ! **I see that you scarcely yet believe the truth of the statement I have made unto you,” resumed Mr. Singleton. “ But the papers which I have in my possession, form a complete corroboration. Not only is there a full narrative in the handwriting of Mrs. Glentworth herself—but there are likewise various letters from her sister de “ Her sister?” I said inquiringly. “Yes—her sister Jane, Mary’s mother. There is likewise the certificate of Mary’s birth, with the names of her parents, showing that in lawful mar- riage was she born—or at least justifying the be- lief that such was the fact.” i aoe LIES I RS CT ar ee I A ¢c OOK (SO)