Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 226: what you’re looking at

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

ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESSe 213 reading the day before yesterday, was one from the lessee of a theatre, giving me an engagement, which is to commence next Monday :”—and she glanced at the gauze dress which she had tossed over the back of a chair. “T am rejoiced,” I said, “ to hear that you are still prospering in the profession which you have chosen. And now leave us, Jane, for I have matters whereon it is absolutely necessary I should speak to your father.” Miss Parks again took my hand, and pressed it with fervour. Then, advancing to her sire, she said, “ Father, I do not seek to penetrate into any of these mysteries—for mysteries I see that there are! I hope that the result of your interview may be such that I may never again hear of any- thing wrong between yourself and Miss Percy. Let me conjure you to treat her with frankness and candour in whatsoever dealings ye may now have together. Oh, father! fail not to keep my words in mind !” It was thus with earnest entreaty that. she spoke ; and then she hastened from the room. « Mr. Parks,’ I said, as the door closed behind her, “‘ you possess a daughter whose example ought to have a beneficial effect upon you! You saw that I was forbearing in her presence. [ know not what tale you may have told her, but it is evident she suspects not the full amount of your misdeeds. I could not find it in my heart to strike the terrific blow which would have been dealt her by proclaiming all that you are! And now listen to me. You have recalled to mind the pledges which I gave the deceased Mrs. St. Clair and the venerable Gilderoy Hemp. Those pledges were given by me on a certain condition. The condition was that my fortune should be restored to me ; and that being done, I held myself bound to take no further step to deliver you into the hands of human justice, but to leave you to your own conscience. Now, then, prove to me that your portion of the compact was performed on that night when you signed the documents making me over the heritage of which I had been dis- possessed !—prove to me that it was noé you, nor any one connected with yeu, that subsequently obtained possession of the whole amount standing in your name in the Bank of Exgland !” * By heaven, Miss Percy,” ejaculated Parks, with vehemence, “ I can advance no better argu- ment than that which I just now put forward. Look at my position ” “Tt is true,” I said, “ that you are evidently poor: but how do I know that you did not take possession of the money and by some means lose it? Did not your wife flee away from her home, with all the valuables of the house, the very morn- ing after that memorable night——” “ Ah!” he exclaimed with bitterness; “and tell me, if you can, where she is gone!” “What?” I cried; “are you in ignorance upon the point? And the children with her !” “ All our children, except our eldest daughter,” he rejoined, with a half-stifled sob,—“ that daugh. ter whom you find here! But the villain Moss - “What ?” T ejaculated ; “ your clerk, Mr. Moss? Is it possible? Did he not then perish ad “No, no, Miss Percy,” exclaimed Parks; “he saved himself—and it was he who obtained pos- session of thirty-eight thousand pounds standing in my name in the Bank of England.” “Good heavens! is this the fact P’—and I was confounded. ‘ But the proofs! the proofs, Mr. Parks! The tale seems so extraordinary 5 “Ah, well it may!” he interjected: “and Oh, Miss Percy! if I have sinned terribly, I have been as terribly punished !” * T cannot understand how al! this could have been,” I said, shaking my head dubiously: for I knew how well the man could dissemble, and I loathed the idea of being in the presence of such awretch. ‘ You must not think, Mr. Parks, that because I am a woman I have no head for business- affairs. There seem to be contradictions in your tale—or rather I should say in the tale which you would have me infer from what ycu have a'ready said. On that night at Gilderoy Hemp’s, you sigoed transfer-documents for £36,300; and those documents bore the date of the 11th of May. They were in possession of Gilderoy. But the very next day the whole £38,000, belonging to you, were sold out by a Mr. Jenkinson, and by virtue of papers which bore the date of the 8th of May. Now, these papers having your signature affixed, were not the same which by any possibility could have got into the possession of Mr. Moss, suppos- ing that he’ had by some means procured the docu- ments which Gilderoy held in his hands.” “ Hear the explanation,” said Mr. Parks: “it is simple and easy. It will prove that I am not deceiving you—it will prove likewise that it was not my fault that you did not obtain the sum of £36,300 according to the assignment I made for your use on that memorable night.” “ Proceed,” I said: “ but pray do not trifle with me. You may perhaps find me more keen and shrewd than you imagine in detecting any incon- sistencies in your tale.” “ Judge for yourself,” he resumed, “ whether I am disposed to tell you the truth. I have one point to prove—and I will proveit. This point is that I acted fairly towards you in respect to that transfer of the money; and that being proven, you will adhere to your own pledges,— those pledges which you made alike to Mrs. St. Clair and to Gilderoy Hemp. I must begin by informing you that in consequence of all the pro- ceedings of yourself and your father with a view to recover your fortune, I had grown frightened. I had succeeded in overreaching you by means of the cheque written with the sympathetic or dis- appearing ink, and by means of the documents you had signed: but still I was restless and un- settled. I knew that your father was persevering, shrewd, and keen-witted: I felt persuaded that neither of you would let the matter drop, if you had a chance of reviving it and, in short, I fancied that accident might still place me more completely than ever in your power. My wife knew that I had dispossessed you of your heri- tage oi “ And did she know,” I asked, “how my poor grandfather met his death P” *“ Hush! hush! for heaven’s sake, hush, Miss Percy!” ejaculated Parks, but in the low half- subdued tone of terror. “No! she knew it not! That was @ secret which I thought rested only with myself so soon as the grave had closed over my mother! Well, as I was saying, Miss Percy, 0)(0)(0) SS (EO)