Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

— a a ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS, 61 families. This is communicated to the wandering gipsies in different parts of the country; and by them it is rendered available with their usual tact and ingenuity. Let us suppose, for instance, a nobleman, his wife, and his daughter, living at some grand mansion in Park Lane. From the tittle-tattle of the domestics it has been ascer- tained that the daughter favours the suit of some gentleman whose pretensions are not agreeable to her parents. Let us also suppose that he is an officer in the Guards—tall, handsome, and dark- haired—and about three-and-twenty years of age. That noble family goes to its country-seat. Well, some fine morning the young lady is rambling by herself through the park or the fields, when she meets a gipsy-woman who offers to tell her for- tune. The young lady indignantly repels the pro- posal as an insult to her common sense. The gipsy-woman besets her with the usual mystical jargon, in the midst of which she dexterously throws out something which startles the young lady and rivets her attention. Of course it is an allusion to the handsome dark-haired military lover. In nine cases out of ten the result is that the young lady remains to listen: the gipsy- woman, availing herself of the information which she possesses, says everything that is flattering to the hopes and inclinations of the deluded fair one; and it would be strange indeed if the hand of the bewildered and delighted young lady did not cross with a piece of gold the palm of the seeming pro- phetess. This is one illustration of the manner in which the system works; and your own quick in- telligence, Miss,” added Beda, “ will readily enable you to comprehend how these methods of proceed- ing may be ramified and diversified in all kinds of ways according to the amount and the nature of the information originally obtained in Lon- don.” * Yes—I understand this well enough, Beda,” I remarked; “and I am well aware likewise that the world contains an immense number of credu- lous persons who are easily duped and deceived by such means as these.” We had thus been discoursing for a few minutes in low whispers: silence now supervened: a few more minutes passed—and I began to wonder that we should be left thus long alone. At length I whispered to Beda, “ Do you think that the dwarf can be Gilderoy Hemp himself ?” *T should assuredly think not,” replied Beda; “or else he would doubtless have at once an- nounced that such was the fact. Besides, every- thing would lead us to suppose that he is only a menial in the house.” There was again an interval of silence, during which I glanced round the little room in which we were seated. There were several pictures sus- pended to the walls,—common prints, in cheap black frames, and having a somewhat dingy ap- pearance. One of these pictures hung exactly in the middle of the wall which separated that room from the adjoining one; and under it there was a chest of drawers, with the sloping top contrived to form a writing-desk by letting down a lid upon two sliding pieces of wood that could be drawn out at pleasure. Indeed, it was an old- fashioned escritoire ; and upon the top of it were several specimens of china ornaments. I was looking at these ornaments from the spot where Se Sn | I was seated, when methought that the picture suspended over the escritoire began to move. I was startled by the idea; and my eyes were now riveted upon that print in its common black- stained frame. Yes—it assuredly moved:—it was Opening upward, as if it were a flap or panel with hinges on the upper part. In some degree of alarm I nudged Beda with my elbow: she glanced in the same direction: the picture was now raised completely with a sudden moyement—and the countenance of Black Ned for a moment appeared in the aperture which was thus disclosed. The picture was instantaneously lowered again; and so great a consternation seized upon me that it wag only this feeling of dismay which prevented a cry from pealing forth from my iips. Beda grasped my hand with violence, hastily whispering, “ Be silent, dear Miss! Let us not show that we are afraid |” “‘ Whose face was it that you saw?” I inquired, also speaking in a low whisper; and I put the question in order to ascertain whether my own idea upon the point was the correct one, “Tt was Black Ned,” responded Beda: but her countenance was composed and settled—nor in her fine black eyes was there the slightest glitter: ing of uneasiness. * Let us Jeave the house, Beda!” I said: “I am sorry, my dear girl, that I should have brought you hither ; for my mind is now filled with the direst misgivings !” * T certainly wish such an incident as this had not occurred,’ whispered Beda : “ for % looks sus- picious. But on the other hand, it is no proof that harm is intended, as it is rather an indication of mere curiosity on Black Ned’s part. As for leaving the house, rest assured, dear Miss, that this will be impossible if indeed it be the intention of the inmates to detain us here. After all, we cannot suppose that Zarah’s friendship in her life- time towards you and me would have terminated on her deathbed with an act of treachery.” Beda spoke calmly and with a perfect selfs possession ; but I must confess that I was haunted with vague and fearful misgivings. In a very few moments footsteps were heard descending the stairs—the door of the room was opened—and the dwarf reappeared, * T am sorry you should be kept waiting,” said the hideous monster ; “ but it was not imme- diately convenient to attend to your business. Be so kind as to follow me.” He had a candle in his hand. I flung an in- quiring look upon Beda; and she at once made me asign to accompany the dwarf. He opened a door at the end of the passage, and which door I thought would probably lead into some yard at the back of the house ; so that I for a moment wondered with renewed apprehension whither he was about to conduct us. The door however dis- closed a continuation of the passage : it was rather a long one—at the extremity there was another door—then we ascended a few steps—and it struck me that we had now entered another house. The dwarf, still leading the way, conducted us upa staircase: we reached a small landing, where he threw open a door, and standing aside, bade us pass on. We entered a_ respectably-furnished room, where we found a venerable-looking old man, whose age could not have been far off from a ee —— LIBRARY Ns oimichoo (C@)