Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 385: what you’re looking at

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ee — $72 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIES OF AN ACTRESS. pare Se Se barrassment which now threatens to become even ; son my affliction is ali the greater. I went to cons more serious. But [ will explain it. For the; sult Mr. Mansfield, the solicitor, in Dover this last few weeks my father, as you are aware, has| morning; he says that I can do absolutely nothing. been staying at Strasburg. He there fell in with | Indeed, my poor father has strongly urged me to an old professional friend, who first mace an in-;| make no sacrifice on his behalf: he likewise en- road upon his purse, and then induced him to be- | joined me to keep his misfortune a secret from you. come security for him to a considerable amount.” | He admits that he has been very foolish and over- “Good heavens!’ I ejaculated; “can it be! confiding: and he says that he must now tako the possible your father is menaced with a prison?” =| consequences.” “ Alas, it is so!” rejoined Juliet, weeping. “His| “It is quite clear, Juliet,” I said, “ that you are professional friend was himself threatened with a/| utterly powerless to assist your father in his pre- gaol; and my father, to save him from it, put his} sent dilemma. You live up to your income, and name upon a bill of exchange for eight hundred | you cannot have much money at your banker’s ?” pounds. His friend assured bim that he had cer- “IT have nearly two hundred pounds at the tain expectations which could not possibly fail to , banker’s,” said Juliet. “I can raise money on the be realized, and that therefore no risk was incurred | furniture as a security: there is nothing in Mrs, by the proceeding. You know, Hilen, that my | Oldcastle’s will to prevent chat. But the worst of father is ever credulous where his generosity is in- | it is, as Mr. Mansfield said, the furniture is so old- volved and his sympathies are appealed to by a | fasbioned tale of distress;—and thus it is that he stands; “I understand,” I exclaimed: “ you could only every chance of becoming the victim of his good- | raise a very moderate sum upon it P” ness towards this perfidious friend.” * Perhaps I might muster four hundred pounds “ Ah! then, the friend has really deceived him?” | altogether,” said Juliet. I ejaculated. ‘And impoverish yourself for some time to “From certain facts which have come to my | come!” I ejaculated. “ Now listen to me, my dear father’s knowledge,” proceeded Juliet, “he has | Juliet. I myself have been extravagant and have every reason to apprehend the worst. His friend has | lived far beyond my means left Strasburg on pretence of coming to England | “ You, Ellen?” she exclaimed, with unfeigned to look after certain moneys that aro due to him; | surprise. but there is too much ground to surmise that this} “ But understand me!” I resumed: “I have not was a mere excuse for the purpose of getting away 2 single shilling of debt! You know that pre- from the place and avoiding the very predicament | cisely eight months ago I surrendered up the hand- in which my poor father has become involved.” some fortune I inherited from Mr. Gower——” «“ And what predicament is that?” Lasked; “for| “ Yes—to save Henry Wakefield’s name from you seem to speak, Julie, as if something more | being dragged down into the vortex of dishonour, than a mere prospective danger had arisen to annoy | along with Mr. Macdonald of Paisley!” exclaimed and afflict your father.” Juliet. “1 is so, Ellen,” she responded. “My fatheris| “Aud when that sacrifice was made,” I cone a prisoner in the town of Strasburg.” tinued, “I had but a few hundreds of pounds ‘‘ A prisoner already ?” I exclaimed in amaze-| left. 16 is true that Mr. Macdonald sent me a ments thousand pounds a short time afterwards: but * Yes, already !—tbough not actuaily in a prison. | this I regarded as my cousin Henry’s money, and The bill to which be has lent his name will be dué | I invested it in his name accordingly. Well then, in a fortnight; and according to the severity of | my dear Juliet, you know that I was compelled to the French laws applied to foreigners, my father’s | return to the stage; and though I received a very passport has been stopped to prevent him from handsome income for my professional engagement, Jeaving the town until the debt shall have been’ yet it only lasted a few weeks: it was put an end } aid.” to by that unfortunate bankruptcy of Mr. Richards. But this is monstrous!” I ejaculated, now in-| I ought then to have cuntracted my expenses and dignant as well as annwyed. to have given up my carriage: but circumstances “ It is nevertheless true,” answered Juliet. “ Hej; induced me to postpone this retrenchment. In is not actually in prison: but he is unable to leave | short, to be candid with you, Julie, 1 was afraid the town. In short, he is is as completely under | that if I did retrench it would wear the aspect of the surveillance of the police as if he were a felon} a species of tacit appeal to the many kind friends having committed some heinous crime! He has} whom I possess; | foresaw that I should be over- little hope that his perfidious friend will come for-| whelmed with offers to make use of the purse of ward with the money to pay the bill at maturity; | Lady Kelvedon, the Countess of Belgrave, Mrs, and if he do not, my poor father will be inevitably | Gower, and others—while Lord and Lady Car- consigned to a French prisun. You now know the! shalton would have insisted on becoming my history of my griefs, Elen. Of course I will do| bankers. Indeed, as it is, I have experienced the everything | can to assist my father gteatest difliculty in preventing the Eurl and “ But how can you obtain eight hundred pounds Countess from laying me under a considerable all in a moment, Juiet?” I asked. “Your in-| pecuniary obligation to them. You may thiok come is under atuousand a year; it is chiefly that I am independent, Juliet; and so lam in derived from the rents of houses in Dover; aod if; money matters. I might have carried this inde- | mistake pot, there was a special clause in Mrs.’ pendence to the point of returning to the stage; Oidexstle’s will providing against the mortgage, for you know that when Mr. Richards, having sale, or alienation of your property in any shape, got through all his troubles, opened his theatre or way. Was this not so?” -ggain last month, he made me the most brilliant “Yes,” replied Juliet; “and for that very rea-| offers: but you are also aware what considera- EOMICLOOOKS. 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