Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 314: what you’re looking at

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

a ae ee ee - ELLEN PERCY; OB, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. “ Are yuu sure they are both dead P” I inquired, averting my eyes from the ghastly spectacle of the two corpses, “ There’s no doubt of it, Miss,” was the answer given by three or four tongues. “ Nevertheless,” I said, “let some one mount a horse immediately, and run and fetch the surgeon. All this is most serious—and everything must be done in a consistent and proper manner. Mean- while remove the bodies to some convenient place let restoratives be at once applied “¢ “The heart of Mr. Collingwood, Miss, will never beat again,” said the butler solemnly ; “ and I much fear that in his lifetime it was a bad heart when it did beat !’’ “ As for his valet,” said one of the footmen, “ he is stone dead !” “ Nevertheless,” I said, “let my instructions be attended to; for there’s often a lingering spark of life when it seems to be extinct. Where is Matilda P” “They have taken her indoors, Miss,” answered one of the servants. “Ah, good heavens! strange things are about to come out!” “ And it was true, you see, Jem,” ejaculated one of the footmen to another, “that I did meet Bob Burton lurking about the place t’other night, when everybody thought he was in I’rance along with his master !” “Yes, yes—it was true enough, no doubt! And look at them—master and man—disguised as labourers! Ab, perhaps the illness of our poor mistress———”’ * No doubt of it!” ejaculated several voices, as suspicion all in a moment flamed up into convic- tion. “ Ab, that wretch Matilda!” “Come with me, Agatha! come with me!” [ said; “and let us hasten back to her ladyship:” but I now spoke with such marked kindness and friendship towards the young woman that she again gazed upon me with astonishment. We re-entered the domestic offices ; and meet- ing one of the servants who some few minutes back had taken charge of Matilda, I said, * Where is the wretched young woman? and how fares it with her ?” “ We have taken her up to her own chamber, Miss,” was the reply : “she is still in a state of unconsciousness—and I have come down to get some vinegar.” “ And when she recovers,” I said, “ keep a strict watch upon her: she may attempt to com- mit suicide, or to escape——” “ We will look after her, Miss,” replied the ser- vant. I hastened up the stairs, followed by Agatha ; and on reaching the landing, I paused for a mo- ment to say another kind word to her. ‘“‘ What a shocking scene—was it not, Agatha?” I remarked, throwing into my look and voice as much friendliness as possible. ‘‘Ob, dreadful, Miss! But I feel as if I were almost overwhelmed with consternation and dis- may !’* continued Agatha—and she looked deadly pale ; “ for Oh! what must we think of Matilda? what must we think of dear Lady Kelvedon’s ill- ness? Oh! now a thousand little circumstances rush to my wind, fearfully proving that Matilda is the vilest of all vile creatures! But, Ab! Miss !” ejaculated Agatha, as a light seemed sud. v—————s eee eS - — SS ‘ ee _ - 3U1 denly to flash in unto her brain, “ you have sus- pected it from the first! Ah, my God! and you have suspected me also !’ “ Agatha |” I said, taking her hand and press- ing it warmly, “I have suspected you, I confess it |—yes, with sorrow and almost with shame do I confess it! Forgive me! I declare to you that a number of circumstances 4 “Ob, Miss,” said Agatha, the tears trickling down her cheeks, “ you are so ready to speak kindly where you think that kindness ought to be shown, that you win every heart! Say no more, Miss—unless it is to tell me that you do noé sus- pect me now !” ‘“‘ Heaven forbid, Agatha !”—and again and again I pressed her hand with the hearticst warmth. “Now let us return to your mis- tress.” We entered the boudoir. only at that very instant opening her eyes; and the old nobleman was calling upon her in the most piteous manner to look upon him and to speak to him. Leave us, my lord,” I said, “ for a few minutes: leave us, I beseech you !”—for I saw that by his entreaties and whinings he was only pursuing a course that was calculated to excite Lady Kelvedon even more than other circumstances would tend to play on her nerves. ‘‘Go, my lord, I beseech you! withdraw into the boudoir! Agatha will tell you the fearful discoveries that have been made !” Lord Kelvedon accordingly retired: and by the time the door had closed behind him, his wife had completely regained her consciousness. “ Ah! then,” she said, “ it is not all a dream! Night !—tapers burning! You, dear Ellen—you, Cecilia—and you, Aline—half-dressed, about my bed! Then something dreadful has happened ? Yes, yes! I remember the landing falling in! But Ah! those fearful, shocking cries! Ellen, I beseech you to tell me what dismal tragedy has occurred beneath this roof to-night ?” I will not endeavour to spin out my narrative by recording all I said for the purpose of pre- paring Hermione to receive the intelligence which I had to impart : suffice it to say that I presently revealed to her the facts that her husband’s nephew Collingwood, and the valet Robert Bur. ton, disguised in the coarsest apparel, had endea- voured to enter the mansion stealthily by the win- dow over the private staircase—that ignorant, in the darkness, of the fact that the flooring had fallen in, they had thought to let themselves down easily, one after another, upon the landisg—but that they had gone headlong down to the very bottom. Lady Kelvedon’s senses seemed for awhile to be so paralyzed by this astounding in- telligence that she made no remark and gave no verbal expression to her thoughts. Leaving her in the care of the Countess of Belgrave and Aline Gower, I passed into the boudoir, where I found Lord Kelvedon still questioning Agatha in refer- ence to the circumstances which had so recently transpired, and of which she had been giving him the horrified and excited account. “ Good God, Miss Percy!”’ said the old nobie- map, quivering nervously from head to foot ; “ to think that my own nephew Oi, the villain ! it is only too clear! only too palpable! And I who ee ——— ' ' Lady Kelvedon was » a ee ees ee ee (eS 0 Oe ee ey ES ee = 7 (E6) JOO SS (EO) im