Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 235: what you’re looking at

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—— 222 continue this narrative so painful—so humi- liating re ‘‘ Tinish it, Jane, and it will at least be some- thing off your mind. Doubtless your father gave you to understund that I persecuted him remorse- lessly it “‘ Yes—such was the assurance he did indeed give me! He told me such tales—he bewildered and horrified me! I fancied that you had com- pelled him to surrender up his own fortune by means the most iniquitous—by threatening to ac- cuse him of fraud and forgery—and therefore a deadly rage against you took possession of my soul! And now you can understand wherefore I spoke go bitterly on that occasion in your dressing- room i ** Enough, my dear Jane!” I interrupted her: *f all that is atoned for and forgiven. But did you not hesitate to apply at the same theatre for an engagement P” “Tf you had continued upon the boards of that theatre, I should not have applied,” responded Jane: “I should have dreaded to come in contact with you I would rather have starved! But it was immediately after your secession from the stage that I made my application to Mr. Richards. Then, it was not until after I had made a success- ful debvt as a danseuse, that you returned to the sphere from which you were after all only a few months absent. Conceive what my feelings were ' the very first time I saw you, and some one whis- pered to me, ‘ That is Miss Trafford !’—But I con- quered my emotions so far as to avoid the betrayal of them; I could not then abandon tho stage—I had a chance of earning my bread by the profes- sion which I had embraced—and I preferred the alternative of coming in frequent contact with you, painful though it would be, to that of wilfully seeking starvation alike for my father and myself. But Ob, Miss Percy! let us now quit this painful topic—and let me assure you that, strong as my other feelings have been, those of gratitude are not now less potent: for I at length recognise all the noble generosity of your disposition—I under- stand it—lI appreciate it! Of my father,” she added, in a low tone and with a sudden mournful- ness of manner, “I shall say nothing more. The decree has gone forth from your lips!—you and he are to be strangers for the future !” “Yes,” I rejoined: “but this is no reason, my dear Jane, wherefore you and I should not be ex- cellent friends!” ) * Oh! no, no, Miss Percy !’’ exclaimed Miss Parks, her countenance suddenly brightening up with jOFe _——_——_—e CHAPTER CIII. CHARLOTTES LOVER. THERE was a brief pause, which was broken by Jane, who said, “And now tell me, my dear Miss Percy, what do you think of my friend, Charlotte Tremaine P” “Do you not remember, my dear Jane,” I asked, “what she herself said of her own father P—that he was never precipitate in delivering opinions or Coming to conclusions :—and you must admit that — eee ELLEN PERCY; OR, TEE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. the principle is a good one. However, so far as I could judge of your friend Miss Tremaine, she is generous-hearted and amiable—I should say that she is totally deficient in foolish pride—with- out the slightest affectation or conceit. She no doubt entertains a great friendship for you; and you will permit me to observe that the circum- stance of having secured the good opinion of such a family as the Tremaines speaks immensely in your favour.” “Miss Tremaine has conceived a great liking for you,” said Jane Parks ; “ and she sincerely hopes that you will favour her with a call to-morrow. Indeed, she bade me assure you that she should wait at home from three to five in the hope of having the pleasure of receiving you. The family are temporarily stayingfas I think you heard her say, with a bachelor uncle, Colonel Tremaine, who is very well off and possesses a fine house in South Street. I may add for your information that Charlotte has five sisters : “Six sisters in all, and no brothers P?”’ I asked. “No brothers,” rejoined Miss Parks. “Mr. and Mrs. Tremaine never had any more children; and these were six girls. Itisa fine old family, so far as I have at different times learnt ; and amongst Mr. Tremaine’s ancestry there have been peers and baronets—but by some means or an- other none of these titles has descended unto him- self. As for the old Hall in Staffordshire But perhaps, Miss Percy,” ejaculated Jane, thus sud- denly interrupting herself, “I am troubling you with matters in which you have not the least con- corn nor interest P”’ “On the contrary,’ I answered : and then I added with a smile, “ Although I just now depre- cated any haste in giving an opinion relative toa lady in whose company I was not more than half: an-hour, yet I will frankly confess that I saw quite enough of Charlotte Tremaine to be in- terested in her. Proceed therefore, my dear Jane, in giving me the information you think fit in re- ference to this lady’s family.” “IT was about to speak of the old Hall,” resumed Miss Parks. “I have seen a picture of it—and a fine spacious building it is,—almost completely embowered amidst trees of such a size that they seem to be the growth of centuries. Some por- tion of the edifice dates as far back as the time of Queen Elizabeth: but the principal frontage be- longs to the age of George the Second. The old Hall has not escaped the common fate of such structures in a district where the peasantry are imbued with many traditionary superstitions; and thus it has its haunted room and its ghost—though Mr. and Mrs. Tremaine have often assured me with a smile that they have occasionally slept tran- quilly enoughin the former and never encountered the latter. It is to this mansion that the family are now returning after an absence of about four years; and the first fortnight or three weeks of their arrival at home, will be signalized by a wed- ding the bridal of the eldest daughter of the Tremaines.” “ And that eldest daughter,” I said, “is Char- lotte P”’ “ Yes,” returned Jane; “and I have no doubt that the marriage will be a happy one. There are certain romantic circumstances connected with the loves of Charlotte and her intended husband, a OOO)|K< (C (EO)