Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 267: what you’re looking at

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

254 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. I await your instructions. Please, sir, to write to me as before. “Your Humble Servant, “R. B.” These were the contents of the letter; and they showed me that the visits of the old gipsy re- mained totally unsuspected. But it scarcely re- quired a moment’s reflection npon the nature of that letter’s contents: my mind was instantaneously made up how to act. I took from my trunk my writing-materials, with which I always made it a rule to travel; and with the other letter before me as a model for the penmanship, I hastened to indite the following lines:— ** December 14, 1842. “T am sorry to say that everything stands a chance of being immediately discovered at the Hall; for three or four eminent physicians have been called in from London, and they have said enough to put matters in a very awkward position. So please to send money at once to all concerned, that we may get away out of the neighbourhood : for though I am stanch, yet I will only answer for myself. Don’t fail to attend to this, as it’s the only means which I can see to prevent the danger of certain parties peaching. You understand me. “Your Humble Servant, “R. B.” This note I folded up, and addressed in precisely the same manner as the one which had served me as a model so far as the penmanship was concerned. I hesitated for a moment whether I should destroy the model, or keep it against any contingencies that might arise; and I decided upon the latter course. I therefore secured it in my portfolio. It had been stamped with some common seal with a flower upon it; and I stamped mine with a blank stone that was set in the top of a pencil-case. I may incidentally observe that I had every reason to flatter myself upon the accuracy with which I had imitated the sort of left-handed writing and configuration of the letters afforded me by my model. I enveloped my newly fabricated letter in the piece of brown paper; and having carefully locked up my portfolio, so that its contents might not be peered into, as it contained the model letter, be it understood—I hastily put on my travelling-dress. I then unlocked the door and rang the bell. “* Matilda,” I said, when this young woman made her appearance, “ you may now pack up my trunk for me ;”—and at the same time I slipped half a sovereign into her hand; for I was much pleased with her attentions, and in my own thoughts I agreeably contrasted her good-natured agreeable disposition with the morose sullen de- meanour of Agatha, who, I felt assured after all, must be the veriest of hypocrites since she had succeed in impressing Lady Kelvedon with the idea that she was in her heart well-meaning, kind, and considerate. I now returned to the boudoir, where I found Lady Kelvedon alone. This was precisely what I wished; for I was thinking on my way thither that i had committed an oversight in not letting her know that I did not desire her husband to be present when I returned to her. I had still some a eS $$ LKLS thing to do: it required a little tact to manage it but I had no fear of succeeding, for Hermione was simple-minded, credulous, and artless as a child. I therefore again locked the boudoir door ; and I said, “ You must lend me the private key once more. The gipsy-woman will have to revisit you at the end of the week; and I must indicato to her another place of concealment—for the shrubbery is somewhat too remote. Indeed there is no reason why she should not at once enter the side gate of the garden the next time she comes. If I mistake not, there is a knot of evergreens where she could more conveniently conceal her- self; and I will just run down and take another survey of the place, so as to be enabled to give her the minutest instructions.” “Do so, my dear Ellen,’ said Lady Kelvedon, fully believing everything I toid her. I hastened to the private staircase—descended it —and issued forth from the private door, which I locked behind me. The moon was now breaking through a cloud—the clouds themselves were dis- persing upon the face of heaven—and it promised to be a beautiful night. Away I sped to the garden. gate: another moment and I was skirting the pathway of the lawn, bending my hurried steps towards the particular vase which now acquires a certain fame in my narrative. Therein I depo- sited my letter enveloped in the brown paper; and I dropped three or four stones upon it. I then hurriedly retraced my way; and re-entering the garden, closed the door ag cautiously as possible, I was gliding along the path, when again I heard voices and footsteps; and in the twinkling of an eye I was once more in my old place of conceal- ment amongst the evergreens. “ What new adventure can this be?” I men- tally ejaculated. “Is it again Agatha with her lover? Ifso, are all my well-laid plans baffled P Has he returned sooner than I had anticipated to seek the letter in the vase? and not finding it there, has he sought and managed to obtain this second interview with the girl ?” Such were the reflections which I hurriedly made, but all the while listening with suspended breath. I still heard the sounds of voices ; but not a syllable that was uttered could I catch. The footsteps continued along the same gravel-walk as that where I had heard them on the previous oc- casion. I was indescribably vexed and annoyed ; for I felt assured that the project I had devised for the purpose of removing such darkly danger- ous characters from the sphere of their iniquitous proceedings, stood every chance of being com- pletely upset. * Good night, dear Richard,” at length said the well-known voice of Agatha, now speaking in quite an audible tone; and then kisses were ex- changed. Richard ! Yes that was the name by which she had addressed her lover: and the initials which appeared at the bottom of the letter written on his behalf to his master were R. B. But scarcely had she spoken that “Good night,’ when there was a strong rustling of the wind, which was rising, amongst the trees; so that whatsoever response he gave was lost to my ears. Imme- diately afterwards [ heard the garden-gate open gently; and almost at the same time a female form passed in front of the evergreens in the Gomichboo (toy