Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

10 not how it is: —perhaps the excessive lore which I | ought to be given.~ I was telling my brother and bear my daughter renders me painfully spprehea-/| sister at the moment you were announced, Miss sive on her account—perhaps my own nerves are | Perey,” continued the clergyman, “of a very psia- by recent cireumstanees more or less unstrung— | ful scene at which I was present the day before perhaps likewise the knowledge of Lord Fre- | yesterday, and whieh indeed, contrary to my ori- derick’s antecedents have had their influence im | ginal intention, delayed my departure from Lon- rendering me suspicious; for you know very well, | don until yesterday. I had seareely commenced Ellen, that after all his conduct towards Juliet my marrative when you knocked at the door; and previous to their marriage, it is impossible for me | therefore I will again begin it. You will see, to entertain a very exalted opinion of his cha- Miss Perey, that wild and thrilling romance is not racter. However, as I was saying, it may per- | limited only to novels or to the stage, but that ia haps be sll these cireamstances to which ‘Taba | fees 2 Sha a enact, | BLLEN PEEBCY; OB, THE MEMOIES OF AN ACTEESS. slluded, that are acting upon my mind, and which forms and takes more wondrous embodiments: leave certain vague and indefinite misgivings float- | ing there despite everything I have heard from to listen with attention,—although I was in sas- Mr. Singleton’s ips. Bat we will now say no pense as to what Mr. Singleton the surgeon's ob- more upon the subject. I have done sll that a ject might be in seeking & private interview with me. father ean do when he fancies that the happiness of his daughter is compromised; and I can do no said, the day before yester- more. Yeu return to town the day after to- day,” continued Mr. Singleton the clerzyman, merrow—end I will secompany you. In two or/ “that just as I was g ty pr ions to three weeks I shall come back to River House and | set off on this long-promised visit to Bit see how Frederiek is getting on. Till then I must) ceived a message requesting me to repair endeavour to remain satisfied, and if possible, to/ diately te a neighbouring hotel and administer set these vague misgivings of mine at rest.” last sacrament fo a gentleman who + Mr. Norman and I then temporarily point of death. I should tell —he going out to take a walk, and I retiring to| that my incumbeney is at the my own chamber. The evil appeared to be staved don, and that the hotel to off: Lord Frederick’s secret seemed to be safe for) momed is situated in a fashionable quarter. Of the present. But Mr. Singletom desired to have a| course such & message was i it private interview with me. For whst purpose| parations for departure from could this be? Did he suspect something ? had he} at once abandoned, and I with a kind discretion forborne from mentioning | The name of the dying gentleman such suspicion, whatsoever it were, to Mr. Nor- tioned to me: but this, for reasons man? and was he anxious to consult me on the po-| sently beeome obvious, I suppress. I was con- sition of affairs? I could not conjeeture; bat I was| ducted up to an ante-chamber, where I found two resolved to call and see the surgeon between the/ physicians; and they gave me to understand that hours which he had indicated. Accordingly, at| their patient in the adjoining room was engaged about one o’elock, I left the house and with a lawyer who had been sent for to receive to the little village of River, which was close by,| and record the dying man’s last testamentary in- and where Mr. Singleton resided. On reaching} structions. One of the physiciams proceeded to his dwelling, I was at once shown bya neatly-| ammounce that I had arrived: he returned in a dressed maid-servant into a parlour where Mr. Sin-| few moments with the intelligence that the will gleton was seated with another gentleman and) was drawn up, that it merely awaited signature, lady. The gentleman—whom I judged by his) and that when the ceremony was over I should be dress to be a clerzyman, and who was a benevo-/ free to enter into the dying man’s presence. The lent-looking man of middle ase—was introduced to| two physicians passed into the death-chamber to me as Mr. Singleton’s brother. The lady was the) attest the will; and in a few minutes they came ’s wife; and she received me with a friendly | forth, accompanied by the lawyer. I then entered weleome. It was evident that the clerzyman was/ the inner room. The dying gentleman was com- “Té was, as I which will pre- already aware of my expected presence, and that he had been informed who I was; for he expressed bis gratification at thus meeting me, and he was a the stage, its influences, or its votaries. Indeed he presently gave me to understand that he had seen me in two or three of my favourite characters; for it appeared that he lived in London. I may here add that he had come to pass a few days with his brother, and he had only arrived at River af a late hour on the preceeding evening. “You may continue thai tale which you were addressing himself to his brother, after I had taken the seat which was placed for my accommo- dation. “™ Miss Perey is doubiless in no hurry for a few minules; and a8 it is perhaps no secret ——” “Not precisely a seeret,” answered the clergy- map, “thouch as a matter of course, from its very nature, it is not a narrative to which full publicity pletely sensible: he was im full possession of his mental faculties. I found him to be an elderly man; and from the conversation which presently took place between us, I discovered that he was very rich, and that he had endured the saddest calamities: for, alas! the wealthy in this world are as liable to misfortune as the rest of human beings, It is the common lot of humanity.” The paused for a few moments, and then continued in the following strain :— “T found the dying gentleman, as I have said, in the full possession of his mental faculties, and perfectly aware that his end was approaching. He was not perishi i but was literally and truly dying through erief and with a breaking heart. Under these influences he was sinking out of existence. It appeared that he had been calm and collected when giving his final instructions to the atterney; bat he grew dreadfully agitated while unbosoming his feelings ECORNICLO@C) ee eee com