Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

—— eee er | eS TC - ._—_(=(0060©0O Ct a Be = i cee Ss eT 218 ‘dently been weeping: but inasmuch as it was a profound sorrow that was expressed upon her countenance, and not any degree of horror or excitement, I felt convinced that she had not lis- tened at the door of the front room, nor had obtained any deeper insight than she before pos- sessed into her father’s misdeeds. “ Come out with me for a walk, my dear Jane,” I said. “You and I must have a little conversa- tion together—and I would rather not remain here any longer.” “In one minute, Miss Perey,” she responded, “T will be at your service !” Her bonnet. and sbawl were soon put on: she just looked into the front room to tell her father that she should not be long; and then we leit the house together. CHAPTER CII. CHARLOTTE TREMAINE. SILENCE prevailed between us for two or three minutes after we were in the open air. We passed along the street—we entered the York Road—and then it was that my companion said with a certain degree of timidity, “1 hope, Miss Perey, that my father treated you at last with that candour and frankness 4 “ Let us not say another syllable upon the sub- ject, Jane,” I interrupted her. “ Suffice it for me to inform you that I was so far satisfied with the explanation he gave as to induce me to declare that at my hands he need apprehend nothing for the future, no matter what my power might be to do him an injury. But we are likewise to re- main utter strangers to each other I mean your father and myself; for it is quite different with respect to you, my dear Jane!” “ And do you mean,” she tremulously asked, “ that I may consider you my friend ?” “ Yes—assuredly !”’ Lexclaimed. “Such is wy meaning ! such is my intention !” At this moment we reached the corner where the York Road joins the Waterloo Road; and ejaculations expressive of recognition and amaze- ment burst forth from the lips of Jane Parks and from those of a young lady whom we at the in- stant encountered. This young lady was of me- dium stature, and of very genteel figure. She was dressed with a certain neatness and plainness of style which were perfectly consistent with the most refined taste. In other respects her appear- ance at once struck the beholder as something eyen more than lady-like ; for it was elegant. She was not handsome:—she was not even pretty— though she was likewise very far from being ugly. Her age was about my own—that is to say mid- way between twenty and twenty-one; and before I leave this passing description of her, I must add that though possessing no strictly critical claims to personal beauty, she had nevertheless fine hair and good teeth. But there was something which seemed bold in the expression of the large blue eyes, which by some persons however might have been considered handsome. I have already said that ejaculations of recog- nition and surprise burst from the lips of my ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. companicn Jane and the young lady whom we thus encountered. They shook hands with every demonstration of fervid affection: I believe that they would have embraced each other if the meet- ing had not occurred in the public street and in the middle of the day. “ Dearest Jane ! is it possible ?” “ Dearest Charlotte ! is it indeed you?” These were the ejaculations that marked the moment of the encounter; and then, so soon as the first feelings of excitement had subsided, Jane introduced the young lady and me to each other, so that I now learnt her name to be Charlotte Tremaine. Jane Parks presented me as Miss Percy : but I saw that Miss Tremaine regarded me with considerable attention; and at length she said, hesitatingly—almost diffidently, “I have seen portraits of Miss Trafford, the celebrated trage- dian; and you, Miss Percy, bear a most striking resemblance ? “ May I tell the secret ?” inquired Jane Parks in a helf-whisper, which was not however low enough to escape Charlotte Tremaine’s ears. “ There is but little of a secret in the matter now, Jane,” I responded, with a smile; “ for it is pretty generally known ? “Ah! then,” ejaculated Charlotte Tremaine, with an enthusiastic expression of countenance, * it is Miss Trafford to whom I have the honour of speaking !—and Miss Trafford and Miss Percy are identical! You must know,” she continued, “that I have been a great admirer of your’s from all that I have read concerning you; for, as you may suppose, J never beheld you until this mo- ment. But I have lived so much upon the Con- tinent—indeed altogether for the last three or four years—and therefore I have had no oppor: tunity of beholding you upon thestage. But now I am delighted to form your acquaintance !” I made suitable acknowledgments for the com: pliments thus bestowed upon me; and there could not be the slightest doubt in respect to the sin- cerity with which the young lady spoke. “ Not only am I so great an admirer of your's,” she continued, with an utterance the rapidity of which received its impulse from the enthusiasm that had taken possession of her,—“ my parents— my sisters likewise—we have ail entertained the greatest interest in your behalf! My friend Jane here can tell you this mach vi “Yes, it is perfectly true,” said Miss Parks. “When a long time ago I told them that you had some acquaintance with my family, they over- whelmed me with questions: but these I was ill able to answer, because I never saw you untila few months back, Miss Perey i also had been absent from London for some three or four years i “ But though we could learn so little from our friend Jane respecting you,’ continued Charlotte Tremaine, “ we have always devoured with avidity everything that the newspapers said concerning ou.” “ At all events it is quite clear,” I observed, bending a smiling Jook upon Jane Parks, “ that whenever you may have spoken of me to your friends, you abstained from mentioning my real name.” “Yes, Miss Perey,” rejoined Jane ; “ for when I first learnt——I think it was through thy» mo- Gomichboo com