Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 368: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. accident which had caused the death of the Vis- count, and inviting them to attend the funeral. In the course of a few days, therefore, several guests arrived at Carshalton; and the preparations for the funeral were conducted to a very consider- able extent under my superintendence ; for both the Earl and Countess seemed more and more in- clined to trust everything to me. At length, exactly one week after the accident, the funeral took place; and the remains of Viscount Ravens- cliffe were consigned to the family vault in Embledon Church. It was the day after the funeral—the guests took their departure—ard I was seated in the drawing- room with the Earl and Countess of Carshalton, when the latter said, in that low half-whispering voice which she had adopted ever since the catas- tropbe, “I wonder whether there were any papers of importance in the drawers or writing-desk of— ota She could not bring herself to allude more sig- nificantly to her deceased son, but as a matter of course both the Earl and myself understood very well whom she meant. “Some one must see to it,” said the Earl; and he glanced towards me. ““T think, my lord,” I said, in a tone of kind and mild remonstrance, “that you, as the father, ought to perform that duty. It is hardly one which I could venture to undertake.” “True! true!” said the Harl: and he quitted the apartment. He was absent for about an hour; and on his return if was easy to perceive by his countenance that he had passed through a very painful ordeal. But it also struck me that the process had left something more than a mere general impression on his mind: I fancied there was something he wished to communicate, but that he scarcely knew how to shape the prefatory words. “Do you wish to speak to me alone, my lord,” I asked. “ No—it is not necessary that I should speak to you alone, Ellen,” he replied. “It is a subject which I think ought to be mentioned in her lady- ship’s presence; for if there be any means of making an atonement or a reparation wheresoever any human being may have suffered through our lamented son——” “Speak, speak!” said the Countess: “ what do you mean? Ah! doubtless amongst the private correspondence of—of - ““'Yes—I have discovered a clue to something which must be investigated,’ resumed the Earl. “Tell me therefore at once, my dear Ellen,” he continued, turning towards me,—“do you know anything of a young lady named Sarah Barron, who was once governess’ in the Tremaine family “ She is still governess there,” I answered: and now I all in a moment comprehended what dis- covery if was which the Earl had made in refer- ence to his deceased son, and why he spoke of re- paration and atonement. “Ah! then you know her?” he exelaintal, “But this is the secret of her honour which I am confiding to you, Ellen !” “It is no secret to me, my lord,” I replied. “I am already well acquainted with all the particulars of that unfortunate connexion which subsisted four eee ce: SS st gp A SY SNe etait 355 years ago between your: lost son and Sarah Bar- ron.’ We had some further conversation on the sub- ject; and at length the Harl said, “It is for you, Ellen, to tell us how we can possibly make any reparation No! that is scarcely possible! I will therefore ask how we can make any atonement on the lost one’s behalf ?” After some little reflection I suggested @ means —which I need not however specify in this place, as I shall shortly have occasion to take more par- ticular notice of it. Another week elapsed ; and at the expiration of that period i received fresh communications from Tremaine Hall. There was a very kind letter from Charlotte; and there was one from Sarah Barron herself, written as a proof that she was progressing towards complete convalescence. She informed me therein that the first intimation she had re- ceived of the death of the Viscount, was by hear- ing Mrs. Tremaine and Charlotte allude toit when they were in her chamber: she pretended to be asleep at the time—and thus she avoided the be- trayal of any emotion. In the course of the billet which she thus wrote me, she alluded most em- phatically to the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Tre- maine in permitting her mother and brother to continue so long at the Hall, that she might enjoy their society ; and she added that inasmuch as she was now so completely out of danger, those be- loved relatives of her’s were about to take their de- parture. I was glad to receive this concluding piece of intelligence ; for circumstances rendered it desir- able that I should return to Tremaine Hall, and I eould not have possibly thought of proceeding thither with the chance of meeting Reginald Barron. But now I no longer hesitated; and taking a temporary leave of the Earl and Countess of Carshalton, I set out, accompanied by Beda. During the journey we reviewed everything that had lately happened; and amongst other topics which arose, was the letter I had written to Jane Parks. More than a fortnight ha@elapsed since she must have received that letter; and no answer had reached me. I felt assured that. she was in- capable of an ungrateful neglect ; and therefore I concluded that she had removed from the lodgings to which I had addressed the communication—or else that she was absent from the metropolis. Beda inquired what I intended to do in reference to the investigation of the Wakefield concerns ?—and I told her that it was my purpose to speak candidly on the subject to Lord Carshalton, when, after the lapse of a little time, his mind should have so far recovered its natural tone that if would not be in- delicate on my part to broach such a topic. It was about two o’clock in the afternoon when Beda and I arrived at Tremaine Hall; and most cordial was the greeting which I experienced from Mr. and Mrs. Tremaine, who hastened forth to receive me. Charlotte and her sisters had all gone for a walk, as the day was beautifully fine: Colonel Tremaine had returned to London, whither some particular business had called him. I inquired after Sarah Barron; and Mrs, Tremaine was about to give some answer, when the young lady herself appeared upon the landing abuve, — saying, “ I heard your voice, Miss Percy, and I could not help coming forth to welcome you!” CORNICLOOOLK (S@)