Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 361: what you’re looking at

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

348 Ne ee ee ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. » OS ee a a A a pT “Tt must have been dark, ma’am, I should say by the look of it,” replied the labourer. “ He is a young man { “Then it may be the same!” I ejaculated, as a certain suspicion was every instant growing stronger and stronger in my mind. “Ah! un- happy wretch, if it were so!” Conquering my repugnance to look upon the dead, I hastened towards the spot where the corpse lay. The first glance which I flung upon the countenance was suflicient:—it was that of Lu- dovico Marano! Although I had for the last few moments sus- pected that this was the discovery I was about to make, yet did I experience a shock when it was made. I felt that the colour fled from my cheeks, and a cold shudder swept throughout my entire form. Guilty though the wretched man had been, and worthless as a member of society—nay, more than worthless—absolutely pernicious and hurtful, like a venomous reptile—yet was there something horrible in the reflection that one whom but a few hours back I had seen in the full vigour of life and health, should now be stretched—stiff, stark, and cold—a corpse there! And how came he by his death? Was it by accident or by suicide? I could not even form a conjecture, “Cover the body up decently with something,” I said to the men when they had given me an ac- count of the effects found about its person; ‘* and bear it to some neighbouring cottage or public- house. I will return to the Hall and acquaint Mr. Tremaine with the discovery.” Towards the mansion I accordingly retraced my steps, but in a far more hurried manner than when I had ere now strolled thence in a leisurely and thoughtful mood. The tidings I had to impart were quickly circulated throughout the mansion,— though I took care that they should be delicately broken to Charlotte, for fear lest there might be any lingering remnant of affection in her heart towards the unprincipled Italian who within the last few hours had ceased to become an item in this world’s busy hive. Before proceeding to touch upon any other sub- ject, I will finish the episode in reference to Ludo- vico Marano. An Inquest was held in the after- noon of that same day at the public-house to which the corpse had been borne. Mr. Tremaine was under the disagreeable necessity of giving evidence on the occasion, and of stating that the deceased Ludovico Marano had at one time been a suitor for his daughter’s hand, but that for cer- tain reasons his addresses had been rejected. It was also mentioned in evidence how the Italian had stealthily introduced himself into Tremaine Hall on the preceding evening, and how he had dangerously wounded a young lady living in the capacity of governess beneath the roof. But Mr. Tremaine was not the only witness examined on the occasion in addition to the two labourers who had dragged forth the body from the canal. A fourth person gave important testimony, which served to guide the Jury in their deliberations ere coming toa verdict. I will here transfer to my own narrative the evidence of the witness thus alluded to, precisely as it appeared at the time in a Staffordshire newspaper :— “My name is George Stokes, and I work for Farmer Bentham of Maypole Grange. I was at the Three Compasses alehouse last night until about half-past eleven o’clock; and then [ left. To reach my cottage the nearest way is to keep along the bank of the canal on the further side from Squire Tremaine’s grounds. Just as I reached the wooden foot-bridge, I saw some one leaning over the railing, and looking down into the water, fF knew it must be a gentleman, because I could see he had good clothes on, and ‘he had a gold chain that was shining in the starlight. I don’t think he heard me approach, because when I stopped and said, ‘Good night, sir,’ he started and seemed quite bewildered. I could see his countenance plain enough, as the moonbeams were playing upon it. He hada moustache. I have no doubt the deceased was the gentleman that I thus saw on the bridge. To continue what I was saying, he seemed immediately to recover himself, and answering my salutation, he at once inquired whether the water was deep there? JItold him it was. He asked how deep? I said that it might be about six or seven feet deep for at least a couple of hundred yards above and below the bridge. He asked me whether people who happened to be found drowned in the canal, were buried ina churchyard or in un- consecrated ground? I thought the question rather singular, and I told him so; but he said that he was a foreigner, that he did not know anything about the laws and customs of England, and that he was only asking for curiosity’s sake. So I told him fhat if people were drowned by accident, they were of course buried in achurchyard. He then asked me if a person accidentally shot another with a pistol, whether the punishment would be death according tothe law of England? I told him that if it was an accident there would be no punishment at all—or if so, only a very slight one; but that if there was any malice in the deed, it would be very different, although it might be made to appear that it was an accident. He then asked, ‘Supposing a person aimed a pistol at one indivicual, but hap- pened to hit another, what would be done to him ?” I told him that I did not know much of the law, but that I should fancy a person in such a case would be treated just as any common murderer, because when he fired the pistol his object was to commit murder. But I thought all these questions so singular that I asked the gentleman who he was and why he was out at that late hour on the canal bridge. He told me that he was an intimate friend of Mr. Tremaine—that he was staying at the Hall—that he had been out to dinner in the neighbourhood—and that perhaps he had partaken of a glass or two more than usual. Of course this explanation seemed completely satisfactory ; and I offered to see the gentleman as far as the Hall. But he only laughed, assuring me that he was not tipsy; and he gave me half-a-crown for my civility. He then went off the bridge in the direction of the Hall; and I continued my way along the canal to my own cottage.” After the evidence thus given, the Jury had but little difficulty in coming to a conclusion. It was clearly a case of wilful self-destruction, in order to avoid the legal consequences of a great crime which had been committed; and a verdict of Helo de se was returned. The corpse was buried in some obscure place, without funeral rites; ard thus ignominiously terminated the career of Ludovico Marano. Charlotte Tremaine experienced a slight CORNICLOOC @ SS) (COIN A