Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

76 ELLEN PERCY; OP, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. them together, for I knew that they must have much to say and many things to explain after their separation. I ascended to Mary Glentworth’s chamber; for it was now needless to keep from her any longer the secret of Aline Marcy’s love— and indeed it was absolutely necessary to acquaint her therewith, as I had no doubt that the beauti- ful French girl would cease to be Mary’s compa- nion upon the stage. Miss Glentworth listened with a deep interest to all that I told her: I saw that she once or twice exerted a powerful effort to repress a sigh; and when I had finished speak- ing she said, “I am rejoiced that such happi- ness should have overtaken the amiable and kind-hearted Aline. Ah, my dear Ellen!” she added, “it must be sweet indeed to find that the channel of the heart’s love at length flows smoothly, znd that all the bright hopes which have once been entertained are at length to receive their realization !” Perceiving that Mary’s thoughts were settling gpon a top which engendered painful reminis- cences for herself, I hastened to change the dis- course by renewing my congratulations on the flattering critiques which had appeared in refe- rence to her debut. Then her countenance grew animated—her eyes sparkled—and she exclaimed, as if bringing her previous reflections to a sudden climax, ‘“‘ Yes—henceforth my only love must be the profession which I have embraced !” We now descended together, and repaired to the breakfast parlour. There we found the lovers seated hand in hand.—Aiine’s countenance radiant with happiness, Starting up from her seat, she flew towards me, exclaiming, “ Ob, Ellen! to think that it should be after all entirely owing to your- self that I am indebted for so much happiness! To think that you should have known Alfred ”— thus alluding to Major Gower—“and that by your generosity in surrendering up half of the fortune bequeathed to you, you should have proved so great a benefactress to us both !” Aline embraced me fervently: I introduced Major Gower to Miss Glentworth: and we all sat down to breakfast. When the repast was over, Major Gower took his leave, saying significantly to Aline, ‘I shall see you this afternoon in Haton Square.” When he had departed, Aline proceeded to give Mary Glentworth and myself some few explana- tions in reference to her lover. She was staying at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Wyvill, Lady Kelvedon’s parents, at a distant country-town, when nearly three months back she bade adieu to Alfred Gower—as she thought for ever! The Major was infinitely distressed at Aline’s deci- sion, especially as at the same time she had in- formed him of her intention to seek the stage as a means of eating the bread of independence. He had prayed, implored, and entreated that she would abandon these resolves and become his wife —but all in vain! From everything that passea between them, he felt assured that her determina- nation was irrevocably taken; and he prepared to resign himself to a destiny which it seemed impossible to avert. Obtaining leave of absence from his regiment, he came to London; and at the expiration of a few weeks he received the intelli- gence that his uncle had died and bequeathed all his property to Miss Ellen Percy, alias Trafford, the eminent tragedian. Any lingering hope which he might have entertained of the possibility of his uncle’s heart relenting towards him, was now utterly destroyed; and it was therefore natural enough that he should catch at the suggestion thrown out by his solicitors to dispute his deceased relative’s will. Little however did he expect that so speedy and so amicable a settlement would be arrived at; and the reader has already seen how enthusiastic was his joy and how boundless his gratitude when he met me at Mr. Wilkinson’s office. But wherefore had he not immediately sought for Aline Marcy and communicated to her his good fortune P He fancied that she must be still staying with Mr. and Mrs. Wyvill. He did not know that Lord and Lady Kelvedon were in London; nor had he any idea that Aline, having left the hospi- table dwelling of her ladyship’s parents, had subse- quently found an asylum with the kind-hearted Hermione herself. Thus, Alfred Gower imagined that at any moment he should be enabled to find his beloved Aline; and he was resolved to prepare a surprise for her. He remained in London to hasten on the settlement of the pending affairs as much as possible; and he looked forward with a joyous anticipation to the moment when, all being satisfactorily finished, he should be enabled to speed off into the country to seek his Aline at the Wyvills’ house, to announce the happy intelligence that he was now rich, and to recompense her for that generous self-sacrifice which she had made of her own love in regard to his worldly interests. Such delightful visions and anticipations was Major Gower indulging in, little dreaming that his Aline was in London all the time, and that she was studying for the dramatic profession. It happened that on the evening of her debut, Major Gower was invited to dine with some friends who had taken a box at the theatre for the purpose of witnessing the appearance of the two young lady- aspirants to histrionic honours. Alfred Gower dined with his friends; but he had no inclination to accompany them to the theatre :—he had con- ceived a dislike for everything that regarded the drama since the day that Aline had revealed to him her intention of embracing the stage as a pro- fession. He did not therefore go with his friends to the theatre: but as they informed him that they should leave immediately after the first piece, he thought that it wou!d only be an act of becoming courtesy for him to be in readiness to escort them home. Hefice his appearance in the box just at the moment when the two debutantes and myself were receiving the plaudits of the audience at the conclusion of the drama. Aiine Marcy had full well comprehended the nature of the feelings which at the moment were expressed by her lover’s countenance: he was almost overwhelmed with surprise and consternation. His eyes had met the looks of Aline: she fainted—and he fathomed the cause. A painful incertitude smote him as to the course which he ought now to pursue,— whether he should at once attempt to obtain an interview with Aline, or whether he should await a more suitable opportunity. He espied Lady Kelvedon in another box; and he hastened thither, Her ladyship had just received Aline’s note stating that she purposed to find an asylum beneath the roof of my dwelling. Up to that moment Lady Kelvedon was utterly ignorant of the love which Fe eee ee , CONDIELIOCL*< (E(o)