Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 377: what you’re looking at

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

et —._— + ———— 364 ——- — ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. away, and thus lost the speech of that most erudite personage. I think I mentioned in my last letter that the Duke sent me a beautiful gift of jewellery from Paris, accompanied by a note: bnt I am certain that it was Herbert’s delicate taste which selected the present and dictated the billet.” “ T have now to inform you, my dear Juliet,” I said, “that this very day I received a letter from the Marquis of Dalrymple, in which he tells me that he fears his mother’s is a hopeless case. The physician in the South of France has begged that the Duchess may be conveyed to Genoa, to be placed under the care of an eminent practitioner there. Accordingly, the family were about to set off for the kingdom of Piedmont at the moment when Herbert Dalrymple was closing his letter.” “The brain of the Duchess,” said Juliet, “ must have sustained a very peculiar shock from the acci- dent which occurred. But now, my dear friend, let us talk of your own affairs. You quite amazed and surprised me when you wrote and told me of the circumstances which induced you to send off for your cousin Henry Wakefield. How singular that you should now be so intimate with the Car- shaltons that they almost regard you as their daughter !” “ But they are not the less ready to receive you with open arms, my dear Juliet,” I said, “and to greet you as their daughter. You are silent you do not answer me ?” “T came to London, my dear Ellen,” she said, ‘in compliance with your summons; and [ will still further obey your wishes by accompanying you into the presence of the Earl and Countess ot Carshalton. But I cannot forget how I have been treated by them,—ignored, scorned, contemned— looked down upon as the obscure ballet-dancer who dared to marry a peer’s son !” “ All this is true, Juliet,” I said; “and you might now take a signal revenge by refusing to go to that nobleman and his wife to assuage the pangs of remorse intheir hearts! But you are incapable of such conduct, Juliet!—you would not seek for such poor and mean revenge as this!” “ No—not for worlds!” she enthusiastically ex- claimed. “I will go with you, dear Ellen, when you think fit: I will speak kindly to them—I will prove docile and dutiful in my conduct towards them, in all respects save one P “‘ And that one respect?” I asked. “That I will receive no bounty nor gift of any kind at their hands—that I will not place myself under the slightest obligation tothem! Iam not rich—but [I am independent; and never will I sacrifice this indevendence to the caprice of those proud aristocrats vho disdained and spurned me when perhaps their countenance would have been considered kind and advantageous.” I could not possibly combat the justice which pervaded Juliet’s remarks; and I therefore made not the attempt. I now inquired concerning Mr. Norman: Juliet answered that he was still upon the Continent, where he purposed to remain some two or three months longer, as he found that his health was improved as well as his spirits. * And it is fortunate,” added Juliet, “ that my father does purpose to absent himself thus much longer :—otherwise he might be returning to Eng- land just at the very time when his presence at b also, Juliet !—dear Juliet! as you must permit me River House would be particularly inconvenient so far as Mary Glentworth’s secret is concerned.” Juliet was dressed in half mourning ; and she looked exceedingly handsome. It was now ex- actly seven months since the death of her hus- band Lord Frederick Ravenscliffe by means of the tub of corrosive fluid; and she again wore her hair in ringlets—the style which best became her, I have so often alluded to her superb style of beauty that I need not reiterate any details on the point: but I may content myself with simply observing that I had certainly never seen her look better than she did on the present occasion. After dinner I proposed to Juliet to visit the Earl and Countess of Carshalton that very even- ing ; for I had promised her iadyship to lose no time in bringing Juliet'to her after her arrival in London. “‘ F leave myself entirely in your hands,” replied Juliet, with the most good-natured affability ; “and I am ready to accompany you at once,” | I ordered the carriage to be gotten in readi- ness: we soon took our seats therein ; and we pro- ceeded to Carshalton House. The moment the | front door was opened, a footman stepped forward to eseort me, as usual, to the apartment where the Earl and Countess were seated; and it never struck me to inquire whether they were alone and disengaged, inasmuch as I took it for granted that such would be the case, because they had so studi- ously refused all society since their bereavement. Presuming therefore asa matter of course that Lord and Lady Carshalton would be found alone in the drawing-room, I followed the domestic thither, Juliet being with me. The door was thrown open, and my name was announced. [I led Juliet for- ward : the Earl and Countess were there—but there was a third person present. This was a tall, handsome, dark-complexioned young man, about thirty years of age—fashionably dressed, but - with the most elegant taste—and having alto- gether a distinguished look. I stopped short on perceiving the stranger; but the Countess of Carshalton at once came forward, saying, “ Wel- come, my dear Ellen!”—and then with much emo- tion, she added, “ And a kind welcome to you to call you.” The Countess kissed Juliet’s cheek: then the Earl came forward—and he greeted her with a similar ceremony. “TI need not tell you, Count,” said Lady Cer- shalton, turning towards the tall dark-complexioned gentleman, “that this is Miss Percy; for you were observing to me just now that you had seen hera year ago om severai occasions.” _ ‘And I am therefore all the more delighted to have the honour of forming Miss Percy’s acquaint- ance,” said the Count, with a polite bow; and I noticed that he spoke the English language flu- ently, with but a very slight accent. I observed likewise that he had given a slight start on catching the first glimpse of Juliet’s coun- tenance; and he was now surveying her with some degree of attention—but with a manner of the most perfect respect. “ And this, Count,” said Lady Carshalton, “ is my daughter-in-law, whom I think you have also seen before Lady Frederick Ravenscliffe.” At the same time the Countess took Juliet’s cS JOO (E(0)