Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 388: what you’re looking at

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ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. just now he remarked to me that he was a very nice gentleman indeed !” The longer I thought of Count Teleki’s conduct in respect to that packet of letters, the more deeply was [ convinced that if it were not actually a studied slight towards Juliet, it was at all events avery unmistakable intimation that he did not care to renew his acquaintance with her. I.-felt piqued and mortified on her behalf; and I was angry with myself that I had not displayed the most haughty coldness towards the Hungarian nobleman. Indeed I was in one of those moods— so rare with me however—in which one is inclined to look upon everything with a jaundiced eye, and to bebold slights, mortifications, and even insults, iu the most trivial actions on the part of others. “The other day,” I thought to myself, “I was in the possession of an income averaged at twelve thousand a year!—and now I am compelled to have recourse to the most humiliating means to raise a few paltry hundreds? Not that I repent of the sacrifice that I made of my fortune !” I hastened to ejaculate: “for it was to save thy name, my well-beloved Henry! from degradation and disgrace !” I endeavoured to reason myself out of the de- spondency and dispirited condition into which I bad fallen, but I could not,—and it was with a slow heavy step, with a clouded countenance, and with a deep heartfelt mortification I again crossed the threshold of the lawyer’s office just as the eburch-clocks were proclaiming the bour of noon. I was at once introduced into the inner room where I had previously seen Mr. Mansfield: and I again found myself in the presence of this indi- vidual. He desired me to be seated,—observing, * You are punctual, Miss Perey—which is more than I can say of Mr. Wilkinson, for he has not yet made his appearance.” Scarcely however were these words spoken, when the door was thrown open, and Mr. Wilkinson literally bounded into the inner office. “Ah!” he ejaculated, grasping my hand; “so I have found you at last!” “Found me at last ?”’ I exclaimed, with no in- considerable degree of surprise. ‘‘ But bow could you possibly know that I needed your assistance P Ab! you have seen Lady Frederick Ravenscliffe perbaps P?” “ Yes—lI have seen her,” responded Wilkinson. “She told me I should find you here. The eoinci. ‘dence is strange; fur Mr. Mansfield and I are well acquainted !” At the same time the London lawyer gave his hand to the Dover one; and the latter observed, “I suppose Lady Frederick told you why Miss Percy had called upon me P” “No—sbe gave me no explanation,” answered Mr. Wilkinson: “ her ladyship merely informed me it was very probable I should find Miss Percy here” “TJ wish Lady Frederick had been more explicit, Mr. Wilkinson,” I said; “ for it would have saved me the mortification of confessing that I wish you to help me in raising a sum of money xt “Ah! ha!” cried the London lawyer, with a peculiar smile, “To raise a sum of money, eh? Well, this is strange!” he muttered, in a sort of chuckling way to himself: then he rubbed bis hands; and looking with a smiling earnestness in Lee See Se eae a a a ees Le . 375 my countenance, he repeated, “To raise a sum of money, eh P”’ it “ Really, Mr. Wilkinson,” I ‘said, somewhat piqued by his manner, “if I did not know you better, I should think you were inclined to mock or Jaugh at me.” “My dear young lady,” exclaimed Wilkinson, with fervour, “I know all the admirable feelings | which possess you too well to make them the sub- ject of ridicule! I would as soon hold the Bible itself in mockery! No, no!” and grasping my hand, he pressed it with a display of emotion which increased the amazement | was already ex- periencing at his extraordinary conduct. “What have you to tell me?’ [ hastily in- quired. “ You were seeking after me ?” “TI came from London especially to see you,” replied Mr. Wilkinson, “I called at your house in Great Ormond Street yesterday at about noon: [ was told you had come down into Kent—I tvok @ post-chaise as soon as I could arrange to leave my office—I got down too late last night to call at River House 7 “Oh, keep me not in suspense!” I interrupted him. “What have you to impart? Is it sume intelligence of the Ardleigh family P” “ No, no—it is all about yourself!” ejaculated Mr. Wilkinson: then turning to the Dover lawyer, he said, “There, Mr. Mansfield, stands a young lady who some time time back inherited a large fortune; and every shilling of this fortune sho Spontaneously gave to rescue certain hoaoured names from the imminency of the Guazette! Think you that such conduct could go unrewarded ? No, no! Heaven itself is in haste to recompense it!” “What mean you, Mr. Wilkinson?” I ex- claimed, now seized with a nervous trepidation. “Is it possible that Henry—I mean Mr. Wake- field—is returned P” “No,” interrupted the London lawyer: “it is nothing of that sort which I have to communicate. But pray compose yourself, Miss Percy! You have indeed some startling intelligence to hear it is not bad—on the contrary, it is very good. Ina word, you have only to conceive that you are in just the same position as you were be- fore the 9th of August of last year.” The 9tb of August! That was the very day on which I had placed the whole of my fortune in the hand of Mr. Macdonald of Paisley! What eould Mr, Wilkinson meanP A. sensation of wild delight swept through me: I flung upon him a look of tremulous suspense—I dreaded lest my fancy was suggesting the impossible! But my doubts were soon set at rest; for, again taking my hand, and pressing it in his own, he said, “ You have caught my meaning, Miss Perey! Or at least, if you have no?, let me hasten to tell you that you are again rich, as all your well-wishers would desire that you should be! The sublimest generosity cn your part gave a fortune to Mr. Macdonald; and the strictest principle of honour on his part restores that fortune to your hands!” A cry of joy escaped my lips; and then a sen- sation of dizziness came over me. I sank down upon a chair—my eyelids closed—but yet complete cunsciousness did not abandun me. “Water, water, Manstield!”’ ejaculated Mr. Wilkinson: “she is about to faint !’ CONnNICLM@aoO SS (E() im