Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 320: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, Robert Burton and sent off to Mr. Collingwood | at Boulogne; so that everything was actually | progressing at that time in respect to the letter | which I had written in a feigned hand, precisely as I had hoped and intended,—though such were | the complications which seemed to ensue from the confusion of persons and circumstances, that I had remained uncertain as to the fate of that letter. | Lady Kelvedon soon slept by my side: but, slumber did not revisit my eyes: it was scarcely | possible indeed that I could compose my mind | sufficiently to woo the presence of balmy repose | after the horrible incidents which had that night occurred. It was altogether one of the most fear- ful and startling dramas in which I had ever | played a real and veritable part, and which were ; so different from the fictitious scenes that ee enacted upon the stage! But if I myself were unable to sleep, it was equally so with Agatha; and shortly after seven o’clock in the morning, I heard her moving about in the adjoining-room. I rose and went to her, and she said to me, “Did that unfortunate young woman make a complete confession of her iniqui- ties ?” “Yes, my dear Agatha,” I answered; “ and there is not the shadow of a suspicion resting against yourself! I sincerely hope that you will be happy with the young man who in due time is to become your husband; and you will permit me to make you 4 little present of a hundred pounds as a dowry—for you shall not go an empty-handed bride to the altar !” Agatha returned me suitable thanks ; and as I now proceeded to my own chamber to perform my morning toilet, —leaving Lady Kelvedon still buried in a profound sleep,—I said to myself, “Never again will I judge by outward appear- ances! The morose-looking Agatha is a well- principled, excellent-hearted young woman !—the seemingly good-natured, buxom, happy-looking Matilda was all the while capable of any iniquity —false, perfidious, and vile !” On reaching my own chamber I rang the bell ; and the summons was answered by one of the female-servants. I sent her to inquire after Matilda; and on her return she informed me that the wretched young woman had become quite delirious, and that she was crying out for a clergyman that she might make a confession of all her sins. J inquired if the medical gen- tleman had arrived—for ho had promised that he should be at the Hall at an early hour: but I found that he had not as yet made his appear- ance. I sent the young woman to bid the female who was in charge of Matilda take most especial | care of her; for I feared lest in her delirium she might lay violent hands upon herself. I proceeded hastily with my toilet, that I might be enabled to see the surgeon the moment he should arrive, in order to consult him as to the actual condition of Matilda, and whether he considered that her in- tellects were sufliciently clear to render it worth while or expedient for a minister of the Gospel to be sent for to attend upon her. The toilet-table in my chamber stood against one of the windows, so that the looking-glass upon that tabie might occupy a convenient position for my hair, and at the same time reflecting most painfully upon all the horrible things which had occurred at the mansion,—when suddenly a piere- ing scream thrilled through my brain—then in the twinkling of an eye it appeared as if a dark cloud passed before the window—and then there was the noise of something falling upon the ground beneath. An ejaculation of horror burst from my lips: a suspicion of what if was had flitted through my brain in a moment! There was a rush of footsteps overhead : I tore open the casement and looked out. My suspicion was con- firmed !—there lay a human form ina night- dress on the ground beneath the window—it was motionless—and I recognised the countenance of Matilda ! I shrank back from the casement with a sicken- ing sensation at the heart, a reeling of the brain, and a faintness coming over me; for horror was succeeding upon horror with a frightful rapidity and with an almost overwhelming force. Good heavens ! this was in some sense a kindred se- quence to the appalling incidents of the past night !—punishment and retribution were coming fast and thick upon the perpetrators of miquity ! —accident and suicide were clearing the criminals away from the stage of their monstrous proceed- ings ! A few words of explanation will suffice to dis- pose of this last tragedy. Matilda had gradually ceased from her delirious ravings—her head had fallen back upon the pillow—she had closed her eyes—and the female-servant who was with her, naturally fancied that being mentally exhausted, she was sinking off into slumber. The woman peeped forth from the door to see if she could find any other female domestic to come and relieve her for a little space: she saw a housemaid on the landing below—and she was passmg down the staircase to speak to her, when all of a sudden the window in the room which she had just left was heard to open—then pealed forth that frightful scream which had so pierced my brain—and the tragedy was complete. The wretched young woman had terminated her career with the crowning guilt of a distracted suicide; and the surgeon just arrived in time to pronounce that the spark of life was extinct! _—_—_—— CHAPTER CXVIIi. MYSTERIOUS TIDINGS. I TREMBLED for the consequences of this accumu- lation of horrors in respect to the death of Lady Kelvedon. Matilda’s suicide could not be con- cealed from her, because the rending scream of the wretched young woman had penetrated to Her- mione’s chamber and startled her up from the steep in which I had left her plunged about half- an-hour previous. I had again a difficult task to accomplish in soothing her ladyship; and it was not until she had given vent to her horrified feel- ings in a flood of tears, that she became in any degree tranquillized. The Countess of Belgrave and Aline assisted me most affectionately and _ the use of any one who might have to consult it.| tenderly in the ministrations which I thus paid to | _ I was standing» before this glass, hastily arranging | Lady Kelvedon; and i ijeft Hermione in their COA (C aOO)|KK ~~ ee