Part 52 (1/2)
”This is well,” said the general. ”Peter, I wish you joy; and, Celeste, I ought to wish you joy also, at your future prospects. It will indeed be a gratification if ever I hail you as Lady Privilege.”
”Celeste,” said I, ”you did not reject me when I was penniless, and in disgrace. O my poor sister Ellen! if I could but find you, how happy should I be!”
I sat down to write to O'Brien, acquainting him with all that had occurred, and the loss of my dear sister. The day after the receipt of my letter, O'Brien burst into the room. After the first moments of congratulation were past, he said, ”My heart's broke, Peter, about your sister Ellen: find her I must. I shall give up my s.h.i.+p, for I'll never give up the search as long as I live. I must find her.”
”Do, pray, my dear O'Brien, and I only wish--”
”Wish what, Peter? shall I tell you what I wish?--that if I find her; you'll give her to me for my trouble.”
We then turned round to General O'Brien and Celeste.
”Captain O'Brien,” said the general.
”Sir Terence O'Brien, if you please, general. His Majesty has given me a handle to my name.”
”I congratulate you, Sir Terence,” said the general, shaking him by the hand; ”what I was about to say is, that I hope you will take up your quarters at this hotel, and we will all live together. I trust we shall soon find Ellen: in the meanwhile, we have no time to lose, in our exposure of Lord Privilege. Is the woman in town?”
”Yes, and under lock and key; but the devil a fear of her. Millions would not bribe her to wrong him who risked his life for her husband.
She's Irish, general, to the back-bone. Nevertheless, Peter, we must go to our solicitor, to give the intelligence, that he may take the necessary steps.”
For three weeks, O'Brien was diligent in his search for Ellen, employing every description of emissary without success. In the meanwhile, the general and I were prosecuting our cause against Lord Privilege. One morning, Lord Belmore called upon us, and asked the general if we would accompany him to the theatre, to see two celebrated pieces performed.
In the latter, which was a musical farce, a new performer was to come out of whom report spoke highly. Celeste consented, and after an early dinner, we joined his lords.h.i.+p in his private box, which was above the stage, on the first tier. The first piece was played, and Celeste, who had never seen the performance of Young, was delighted. The curtain then drew up for the second piece. In the second act, the new performer, a Miss Henderson, was led by the manager on the stage; she was apparently much frightened and excited, but three rounds of applause gave her courage, and she proceeded. At the very first notes of her voice I was startled, and O'Brien, who was behind, threw himself forward to look at her; but as we were almost directly above, and her head was turned the other way, we could not distinguish her features. As she proceeded in her song, she gained courage, and her face was turned towards us, and she cast her eyes up--saw me--the recognition was mutual--I held out my arm, but could not speak--she staggered, and fell down in a swoon.
”'Tis Ellen!” cried O'Brien, rus.h.i.+ng past me; and, making one spring down on the stage, he carried her off, before any other person could come to her a.s.sistance. I followed him, and found him with Ellen still in his arms, and the actresses a.s.sisting in her recovery. The manager came forward to apologise, stating that the young lady was too ill to proceed, and the audience, who had witnessed the behaviour of O'Brien and myself, were satisfied with the romance in real life which had been exhibited. Her part was read by another, but the piece was little attended to, every one trying to find out the occasion of this uncommon occurrence. In the meantime, Ellen was put into a hackney-coach by O'Brien and me, and we drove to the hotel, where we were soon joined by the general and Celeste.
CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE.
IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS, WHETHER IT BE GOOD OR BAD NEWS--I SUCCEED IN EVERYTHING, AND TO EVERYTHING, MY WIFE, MY t.i.tLE, AND ESTATE--AND ”ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.”
I shall pa.s.s over the scenes which followed, and give my sister's history in her own words.
”I wrote to you, my dear Peter, to tell you that I had considered it my duty to pay all my father's debts with your money, and that there were but sixty pounds left when every claim had been satisfied; and I requested you to come to me as soon as you could, that I might have your counsel and a.s.sistance as to my future arrangements.”
”I received your letter, Ellen, and was hastening to you, when--but no matter I will tell my story afterwards.”
”Day after day I waited with anxiety for a letter, and then wrote to the officers of the s.h.i.+p to know if any accident had occurred. I received an answer from the surgeon, informing me that you had quitted Portsmouth to join me, and had not since been heard of. You may imagine my distress at this communication, as I did not doubt but that something dreadful had occurred, as I know, too well, that nothing would have detained you from me at such a time. The new vicar appointed, had come down to look over the house, and to make arrangements for bringing in his family. The furniture he had previously agreed to take at a valuation, and the sum had been appropriated in liquidation of our father's debts. I had already been permitted to remain longer than was usual, and had no alternative but to quit, which I did not do until the last moment. I could not leave my address, for I knew not where I was to go. I took my place in the coach, and arrived in London. My first object was to secure the means of livelihood, by offering myself as a governess; but I found great difficulties from not being able to procure a good reference, and from not having already served in that capacity.
At last I was taken into a family to bring up three little girls; but I soon found out how little chance I had of comfort. The lady had objected to me as too good-looking--for this same reason the gentleman insisted upon my being engaged.
”Thus was I a source of disunion--the lady treated me with great harshness, and the gentleman with too much attention. At last, her ill-treatment, and his persecution, were both so intolerable, that I gave notice that I should leave my situation.”
”I beg your pardon, Miss Ellen, but will you oblige me with the name and residence of that gentleman?” said O'Brien.
”Indeed, Ellen, do no such thing,” replied I; ”continue your story.”
”At last I was engaged as teacher to a school. I had better have taken a situation as housemaid. I was expected to be everywhere, to do everything--was up at daylight, and never in bed till past midnight: fared very badly, and was equally ill-paid--but still it was honest employment, and I remained there for more than a year; but, though as economical as possible, my salary would not maintain me in clothes and was.h.i.+ng, which was all I required. There was a master of elocution, who came every week, and whose wife was the teacher of music. They took a great liking to me, and pointed out how much better I should be off, if I could succeed on the stage, of which they had no doubt. For months I refused, hoping still to have some tidings of you; but at last my drudgery became so insupportable, and my means so decreased, that I unwillingly consented.
”It was then nineteen months since I had heard of you, and I mourned you as dead. I had no relations except my uncle, and I was unknown even to him. I quitted the situation, and took up my abode with the teacher of elocution and his wife, who treated me with every kindness, and prepared me for my new career. Neither at the school, which was three miles from London, nor at my new residence, which was over Westminster-bridge, did I ever see a newspaper; it was no wonder, therefore, that I did not know of your advertis.e.m.e.nts. After three months' preparation I was recommended and introduced to the manager by my kind friends, and accepted. You know the rest.”
”Well, Miss Ellen, if any one ever tells you that you were on the stage, at all events you may reply that you wasn't there long.”