Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

} -———_- 252 » —_——— years of aga—possessed of every luxury and com. fort—surrounded by all the elements of happiness which wealth can purchase—should give way 2 “ Did I say, then, that her spirits were suffering as well as her body ?” asked Aline, gazing at me for a moment with some little degree of astonish- ment. “ But doubtless I must have said so rh “Tt occurred to me that you did,’ I rejoined— for a moment however seized with no little degree of confusion, as I saw that I had been saying too much and had laid myself open to be questioned. ‘* Hermione has certainly written to me ina desponding strain,’ resumed Aline. “ At first, when she experienced a slight indisposition, she thought nothing of it—she fancied that it was an affair of two or three days, and far too insignifi- cant to necessitate the summoning of the medical man. But the indisposition did not pass away so quickly — Hermione gradually grew more and more languid 1 “ Ah!’ I ejaculated—and I felt a cold shudder creep over me. “ She grew more and more lan- guid, did you say, Aline P” ‘‘ Yes—and then came loss of appetite—which, you know, is always a bad sign with persons who may yet be called quite young f “Oh, yes, a bad sign indeed!” I exclaimed : and still colder grew the shudder that crept over me. ‘“ But I suppose—I hope, I mean—that her ladyship continued to take her wonted oexer- cise * “No,” interjected Aline; “ that is another ominous sign in connexion with one who was s0 fond of being in the open air.” ) “ Ah! from all you are telling me,” I cried, with increasing horror and alarm in my soul, “I fear that poor Lady Kelvedon must be very, very ill a * Ob, no, my dear Ellen! that is not the term !” exclaimed Aline. “neither is the matter so bad as all that. Itis not a regular illness—she is not confined to her bed—the doctor himself thought and spoke very lightly of it in the first instance —though perhaps now 4 «“ Ah!? I again ejaculated: for every fresh de- tail which Aline thus gave me, seemed to be but | an additional corroboration of the horrible sus- picions which had fastened their vulture-claws on my brain: but still for many reasons I exerted every possible effort to veil my emotions as much as I could. ‘ And now, what does the physician Bay P” *e The last time I heard from Hermione,” re- joined Aline, “she said that the medical attendant gave it as his opinion that it was only a nervous affection, arising from a derangement of the liver or heart vy “Oh, all this is very serious, Aline!” I ex- claimed, now scarcely able to control my feelings sufficiently to prevent them from betraying them- selves. “I always tremble,” I hastened to add, ‘when I hear of a patient at first becoming slightly indisposed—then gradually growing more languid, with an increasing loss of appetite, an indisposition for exercise < “Ah! and I forgot to observe,” exclaimed Aline, thus interrupting me as I was mechanically repeating those words which had been indelibly impressed upon my memory—the very same words which I had overheard Dame Betty speak to Mr, ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, Collingwood in the midsé of the ruins of the farm- house near Petersfield —“‘I forgot to observe,” said Aline, “that in addition to all these details, there seems to be a gradual falling away and you know, my dear Ellen, what a beautiful figure Hermione had—how superbly modelled were all the contours of her shape! Oh! it would indeed be a pity if that fine form were to become ema- ciated with sickness.” “‘'Yes—a pity indeed, Aline!”’ I exclaimed, “Do you know that I have a very great mind to set off at once and see Lady Kelvedon? I feel quite un- happy on her behalf! You are aware I always liked her ie “And Hermione has always spoken to me in the highest. terms of yourself, my dear Ellen,” re- joined Mrs. Gower. “I am sure she will be de- lighted to see you! It will be quite a different thing for you to go alone to the Hall, than for me and my husband to proceed thither! His lord- ship would scarcely object 7 “ At all events, Aline,’ I interrupted her, “I wili risk his lordship’s displeasure; for I feel so much concerned about his poor wife that I have made up my mind to pay her a visit.” Aline encouraged me in the idea; and as it was now only an hour past noon, I resolved to set off at once; for I calculated that I could reach Kel- vedon Hall at a decent hour in the evening, as it was about six miles on this side of Petersfield. Aline left me to make my arrangements,—but not without desiring me to convey to Lady. Kelvedon the warmest assurances of friendship and love on her behalf. The moment she was gone I sent out to order a post-chaise ; and I summoned Beda into my pre- sence. To this faithful girl I gave certain expla- nations relative to the motive of my hurried visit to Kelvedon Hall; and I likewise addressed to her some particular instructions, which I charged her to lose no time in obeying. She promised implicit obedience to my orders—and I knew very well that her pledge would be fulfilled: but the matter was so grave and serious that it naturally rendered me all the more precise in my instructions, and all the more anxious to make myself completely un- derstood. I set off alone on my journey into Hampshire: but there was adelay in obtaining post-horses at two of the towns through which I passed—and it was not untila late hour in the evening that I drew nigh to Kelvedon Hall. I then reflected that it would be indiscreet to call at that hour; it would seem as if I came with the predetermination of stopping for the night, and thus taking a liberty which would be only too well calculated to anger the old nobleman and to excite strange comments throughout the entire domestic establishment. Ba- sides, I thought within myself that the lapse of some twelve hours would make no very important difference in the business which I had in hand ;— therefore, everything considered, I resolved to pro- ceed as far as Petersfield and visit tlte Hall on the following day. This plan was adopted. I arrived at Petersfield and took up my quarters at the same hotel where eight or nine months back I and Beda had stayed while undertaking the expedition in respect to Dame Betty. The servants remembered me :—there was the same garrulous waiter who on the former occasion had first given me so much in- JOO com S (E(0)