Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 386: what you’re looking at

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

a te a a a a eae A i — - sanatiiieeeetienlash 4 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIES OF AN ACTEESS. 373 22s EG Se tion it was that induced me to remain off the history! She has become the victim of that same stage.” _Edwin St. Clair who so often sought to make me “Yes,” responded Juliet: “the prospects of | his victim !—she has likewise become the object of your cousin Henry t the love of that young Murquis who first of all “But if I have inflicted upon you this long | bestowed his love upon me! She is now about to tale, my dear friend,” I resumed, “it is simply to | become a mother in seclusion and in secrecy, as wy account for the statement I am about to make in | friend Juliet likewise became a mother in seclusion reference to myself. My resources were almost ex- | and in secrecy beneath the very same roof !__yes, hausted by the large sum of money I placed in | within those self-same walls of River House! And William Lardner’s hands when he left England | I am bere as the friend of Mary, in the same way two months back; and mow they are completely | that I was here as the friend of Juliet !” drained. I do not think that [ have twenty | Thus musing upon a variety of circumstances pounds left in my banker’s hands. Thus you see | and coincidences which were connected with the that if I do not all in a moment proffer you pecu- | name of Mary Glentworth, I pursued my way niary assistance, my dear Juliet, it is because [| into the town of Dover. On arriving at Mr. am utterly without the means of doing so.” Mansfield’s office, 1 was informed that the lawyer “I felt assured, Eilen,” said Lady Frederick, | was disengaged and would see me at once. I did “that your income must be limited for the present ; | not however give any name, but said that it was but I was far from suspecting, my’ dear friend, | unnecessary inasmuch as Mr. Mansfield was unac- that your fortunes were at so low an ebb.” | quainted with me. In a few moments I found “Nevertheless, Juliet,” I continued, “some-| myself in the presence of the lawyer, who was a thing shall and must be done on your father’s ac- | middle-aged man, with a cold calm expression of count! [ will do for him that which I assuredly | countenance, sufficiently polite in manner, but with would not do for myself: I will write to some | an air as business-like as the aspect of his office friend and borrow the amount which is re- itself. At the very first glance at Mr. Mansfield’s quired,” _ countenance, I felt persuaded he was a man who “Tf you bave any -scruple in adopting this | who would not deviate one hair’s-breadth from the course, Ellen,” said Juliet, “there is a means by | ordinary routine of business through any mere which we could raise the sum. Mr. Mansfield the | motive of generosity, and that Juliet had indeed lawyer told mo that if I gave him some collateral | been too sanguine in her expectations that he security, be would furnish the money, I know | would advance any money without the most ample that he would take your security * security. Ishould observe that Mr. Mansfield had “But I am not quite twenty-one yet,” I inter- | succeeded to the business of the professional gep- posed, with a smile: “I am not of age—and my | tleman who had managed the affairs of the de- siguature is not valid.” | ceased Mrs, Oldcastle, and who, it appeared, had “Oh, it will be found valid enough!” ejaculated | retired from practice some few weeks previous to Juliet. “ You are yourown mistress—your furni- | the date of which I am writing. ture is very handsome and valuable In short,| Mr. Mansfield requested me to be seated; and I know that there will be no difficulty. And Oh! when I mentioned my name, his countenance ex- you cannot tell how great is the relief which my panded somewhat from its air of cold politeness. mind now experiences! I did not tell poor Mary “Happening to know, Miss Percy,” he said, that I had any cause for affliction; for I thought | “that you are a friend of Lady Frederick Rivens- that as the hour of her ordeal approaches, she | cliffe’s, I need scarcely ask where you are staying ought to enjoy as much mental tranquillity as pos. | in this neighbourhood.” sible.” | “And perhaps, Mr. Mansfield,” I said, “ you “There is no reason why she should be at all | may also surmise the nature of the business which enlightened on the subject,” I said. “ But jet us| has brought me to your office ?” now hasten to rejoin ber—or she will suspect that | “I presume, Miss Percy,” he replied, “it isthe there is something strange or mysterious attendant business concerning which Lady Frederick did me upon wy arrival at River House.” | the honour to consult me yesterday ?” On the following morning, soon after breakfast, I answered in the affirmative; and then I in- I took an opportunity to say to Juliet, “ You must quired, “Are there any means by which the Temain with Mary, for she does not seem at ail requisite sum can be raised? I hesitate not to well. I will go into Dover, and will call upon confess that at the present moment my own re- Mr. Mansfield. If it be possible to effect an sources are peculiarly limited. I have friends who arrangement with him, it shall be accomplished: would cheeriully lend me the amount; but I dis- but 1 fear you are somewhat too sanguine, Juliet like the idea of becoming a borrower.” —and if there should be any disappointment in| “ You must really know, Miss Percy,” said this quarter, I will write to either Lady Kelvedon | Mr. Mansfield, “that if you stand upon any deli- or the Countess of Carshalton.” | cacy in making an appeal to friendship in matters Juliet pressed my hand in token of fervid | of this kind, you will have to regard it as a purely thankfulness; and 1 set off to walk into Dover. | business affair when addressing yourself to a pro- As I passed the cottage where I had first made the fessional man.” acquaintance of Mary Glentworth nearly two years “In other terms, sir,” I observed, “I must back, I could not help thinking to myself, “ How | offer you security ?” many strange incidents have come to my know-; “I have already told Lady Frederick Ravens- ledge in reference to this dear friend of mine! cliffe,” replied Mr. Mansfield, “that if she have How singular has been her connexion with many any friend of undoubted solvency and respectability circumstances which have so intimately interwoven ! who will join her in a bond, I have not the slight- themselves as it were with the thread of my own est objection to recommend a client of mine to CORNICLOOOLK rr - ee Se er -——. 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