Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 360: what you’re looking at

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

en aes SE SY a — ELLEN PERCY 5; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. 347 ghost without taking some means to assure your- self upon the point.” “ Do not dwell upon this subject, Sarah,’’ I said. “Indeed, I can now understand it all! You en- tered the room in a white dress “4 *Yes—I stole in,’ rejoined Miss Barron, a visible shudder passing over her form; “and I beheld you both—yourself and Beda—kneeling down at the cupboard,—that cupboard in which lay the remains of my dead infant !” Sarah covered her face with her hands; and now the tears gushed forth betwixt her fingers. I entreated her to be composed: I reminded her that if she thus gave way to the excitement of her feelings she might prevent the healing process in reference to her wound; and [I also bade her re- collect that Mrs. Tremaine and Charlotte might at any moment return to the room. These represen- tations succeeded in inducing her to exercise a strong control over her emotions; and I left her with the promise that I would revisit her chamber soon after breakfast. CHAPTER CXXIV. - THE WALK BY THE SIDE OF THE CANAL, THE incidents of the preceding night had pro- duced a most painful effect upon all the inmates of the mansion. That Sarah Barron was in great danger, was of course generally known; and as she was universally beloved, a gloom was thrown upon the spirit of eyen the humblest menial in the establishment. After breakfast—when I was thinking of fulfill- ing my promise and returning to Sarah’s chamber —I was informed by Charlotte, who had just been thither with her mother, that the patient had fallen into a deep sleep, and that the surgeon, who had again come to see her, had strictly enjoined that she should not be disturbed. I was glad of this opportunity of seeking fresh air—of being by my- self, and giving way to my reflections without re- straint. 1 accordingly rambled forth into the grounds; and [ reviewed everything which I had heard from the lips of Sarah Barron. That she had been cruelly deceived by Viscount Ravenscliffe, was only too apparent: that her innocence and her confidence had been most shamefully taken ad- vantage of, was beyond all doubt. But nothing could be done in her behalf! I knew that it was utterly ridiculous to suppose that an appeal to the Viscount would move him to do her an act of jus- tice. And as I thus gave way to my reflections on the point, I could not help mentally ejaculating, “ How many instances of aristocratic profligacy and heartlessness have come to my knowledge! And that name of Rawenscliffe,—does’ it not seem. to be indissolubly associated with everything that is evil? Alas, poor Sarah! it might almost be considered for you a happy release if the hand of the assassin Marano shall have dealt thee thy death ; for if thou livest on, it will be to deplore to the end of thy days the heartless treachery of one who bears the name of Ravensceliffe !” There was another subject which occupied my thoughts; and this was one to which I have al- brother to Tremaine Hall. But again was I be. wildered by the conflicting ideas which were con- jured up on this point ; and I was utterly unable to arrive at any fixed and definite determination, Indeed, I was in the midst of my perplexing medi- tations on the topic, when I began to think that I[ had wandered far enough from the Hall, and that I ought to be retracing my way thither; for if poor Sarah Barron should awake, she might in- quire after me, and she might possibly consider that it was unkind on my part to be absent when she had solicited my presence. Indeed, I had rambled farther than I had intended; and I was now pursuing a path which lay along the bank of the canal that had so recently overflowed. The particular spot where I was thus walking, was more elevated than elsewhere, and had not been submerged during the flood, so that it was now quite dry. I was just turning to retrace my way to Tremaine Hall, but my attention was suddenly caught by some object floating in the canal at a little distance. I looked again; and even before the idea had formed itself as it were in my mind, an instinctive shudder swept through me. Yes— it was a corpse that was floating in the water! I swept my gaze around, and I beheid a couple of labouring men working at a little distance.. I hastened towards them: they soon noticed me— and I waved my kerchief for them to come. [ told them what I had seen; and they sped to the spot in the direction where I had beheld the body floating ; but I myself remained at a little distance, for I had a horror of looking upon the dead. It naturally occurred to me that it was some unfor- tunate person who had been drowned during the recent floods; and I thought that it must bea gentleman, or at all events an individual of the middle class of life, for the garments which clothed the corpse were evidently of broad-cloth. But though I did not approach the spot where the men were now wading into the canal to drag forth the dead body, yet I remained tolerably near in order to learn if there were any letters or cards about the person of the deceased that might esta- blish his identity. In a very few minutes I saw that they were dragging the corpse up the bank, and Iaverted my eyes. A few more minutes elapsed, and then [ heard footsteps advancing from behind ; for one of the labouring men was now coming to speak to me. “We have got him out, ma’am,” he said; “and he seems quite fresh, as if he hadn’t been in the water many hours. He looks quite the gentleman too—.”’ “You had better search the garments,” I said, “to see if there be any papers or a card-case—also if there be any valuables; and you can let me know, for I will tell Mr. Tremaine—who, being a justice of the peace——” “There’s a gold chain round the gentleman’s neck, ma’aw,” interrupted the labourer; “and there’s a handsome watch in the waistcoat pocket. He looks like a foreigner.” “A foreigner?” I ejaculated: “and what makes you think so?” “ Because of the hair on the upper lip,” an- swered the man. “ What’s the name of it again ? My mate yonder called it ‘ _ Ready alluded—namely, how I was to act in refer-| “A moustache!” [ exclaimed. “But is the ence to the probable visit of Sarah’s mother and | complexion of the deceased ——” * COMMMEMOOKS. EO im