The hope of meeting with more consideration in the family, inspirited
Ellis with a wish, hitherto unfelt, of contributing to the purposed
entertainment. The part which she had been obliged to undertake, was too
prominent to be placed in the back ground; and the whole performance
must be flat, if not ridiculous, unless Lady Townly were a principal
person. She read over, therefore, repeated, and studied the character,
with an attention more alive to its meaning, style, and diversities; and
the desire which animated all that she attempted, of doing with her best
means whatever unavoidably must be done, determined her to let no effort
in her power be wanting, to enliven the representation.
The lateness of this resolution, made her application for its
accomplishment so completely fill up her time, that not a moment
remained for those fears of self-deficiency, with which diffidence and
timidity enervate the faculties, and often, in sensitive minds, rob them
of the powers of exertion.
When the hour of exhibition approached, and she was summoned to the
apartment destined for the green-room, universal astonishment was
produced by her appearance. It was not from her dress; they had seen,
and already knew it to be fanciful and fashionable; nor was it the
heightened beauty which her decorations displayed; this, as she was
truly lovely, was an effect that they expected: but it was from the ease
with which she wore her ornaments, the grace with which she set them
off, the elegance of her deportment, and an air of dignified modesty,
that spoke her not only accustomed to such attire, but also to the good
breeding and refined manners, which announce the habits of life to have
been formed in the superior classes of society.
Selina, as she opened the door, exultingly called out, 'Look! look! only
look at Ellis! did you ever see any thing in the world so beautiful?'
Ireton, to whom dress, far more than feature or complexion, presented
attraction, exclaimed, 'By my soul, she's as handsome as an angel!'
Elinor, thus excited, came forward; but seemed struck speechless.
They now all flocked around her; and Mrs Maple, staring, cried, 'Why who
did you get to put your things on for you?' when suddenly recollecting
the new account which she had herself given, and caused to be spread of
this young person, she forced a laugh, and added, 'Bless me, Miss Ellis,
if I had not quite forgotten whom I was speaking to! Why should not Miss
Ellis know how to dress herself as well as any other young lady?'
'Why, indeed,' said Miss Bydel, 'it makes a prodigious change, a young
lady's turning out a young lady, instead of a common young woman. I've
seen a good many of the Ellis's. Pray, Ma'am, does your part of the
family come from Yorkshire? or Devonshire? for I should like to know.'
'And, if there were any gentlemen of your family, with you, Ma'am, in
foreign parts,' said Mr Scope, 'I should be glad to have their opinion
of this Convention, now set up in France: for as to ladies, though they
are certainly very pleasing, they are but indifferent judges in the
political line, not having, ordinarily, heads of that sort. I speak
without offence, inferiority of understanding being no defect in a
female.'
'Well, I thought from the first,' said young Gooch, 'and I said it to
sisters, that the young lady was a young lady, by her travelling, and
that. But pray, Ma'am, did you ever look on, to see that Mr Robert Speer
mow down his hundreds, like to grass in a hay-field? We should not much
like it if they were to do so in England. But the French have no spirit.
They are but a poor set; except their generals, or the like of that.
And, for them, they'll fight you like so many lions. They are afraid of
nobody.'
'By what I hear, Ma'am,' said Mr Stubbs, 'a gentleman, in that country,
may have rents due to the value of thousands, and hardly receive a frog,
as one may say, an acre.'
While thus her fellow-performers surrounded the Incognita, Harleigh,
alone, held back, absorbed in contemplating the fine form, which a
remarkably light and pretty robe, now first displayed; and the beautiful
features, and animated complexion, which were set off to their utmost
lustre, by the waving feathers, and artificial flowers, which were woven
into her soft, glossy, luxuriant brown hair. But though he forbore
offering her any compliments, he no sooner observed that she was seized
with a sudden panic, upon a servant's announcing, that the expected
audience, consisting of some of the principal families of Sussex, was
arrived, than he addressed, and endeavoured to encourage her.
'I am aware, Sir,' she said, 'that it may seem rather like vanity than
diffidence, for one situated as I am to feel any alarm; for as I can
have raised no expectations, what have I to fear from giving any
disappointment? Nevertheless, now the time is come, the attempt grows
formidable. It must seem so strange--so wond'rous strange,--to those who
know not how little my choice has been consulted--'
She was interrupted, for all was ready; and Harleigh was summoned to
open the piece, by the famous question, 'Why did I marry?'
The fright which now had found its way into the mind of the new Lady
Townly, augmented every moment till she appeared; and it was then so
great, as nearly to make her forget her part, and occasion what,
hesitatingly, she was able to utter, to be hardly audible, even to her
fellow-performers. The applause excited by her beauty, figure, and
dress, only added to her embarrassment. She with difficulty kept to her
post, and finished her first scene with complete self-discontent.
Elinor, who watched her throughout it, lost all admiration of her
exterior attractions, from contempt of her feeble performance.
But her second scene exhibited her in another point of view; her
self-displeasure worked her up to exertions that brought forth the
happiest effects; and her evident success produced ease, by inspiring
courage. From this time, her performance acquired a wholly new
character: it seemed the essence of gay intelligence, of well bred
animation, and of lively variety. The grace of her motions made not only
every step but every turn of her head remarkable. Her voice modulated
into all the changes that vivacity, carelesness, pride, pleasure,
indifference, or alarm demanded. Every feature of her face spoke her
discrimination of every word; while the spirit which gave a charm to the
whole, was chastened by a taste the most correct; and while though
modest she was never awkward; though frightened, never ungraceful.
A performance such as this, in a person young, beautiful, and wholly
new, created a surprize so powerful, and a delight so unexpected, that
the play seemed soon to have no other object than Lady Townly, and the
audience to think that no other were worth hearing or beholding; for
though the politeness exacted by a private representation, secured to
every one an apparent attention, all seemed vapid and without merit in
which she was not concerned; while all wore an air of interest in which
she bore the smallest part; and she soon never spoke, looked, nor moved,
but to excite pleasure, admiration, and applause, amounting to rapture.
Whether this excellence were the result of practice and instruction, or
a sudden emanation of general genius, accidentally directed to a
particular point, was disputed by the critics amongst the audience; and
disputed, as usual, with the greater vehemence, from the impossibility
of obtaining documents to decide, or direct opinion. But that which was
regarded as the highest refinement of her acting, was a certain air of
inquietude, which was discernible through the utmost gaiety of her
exertions, and which, with the occasional absence and sadness, that had
their source in her own disturbance, was attributed to deep research
into the latent subjects of uneasiness belonging to the situation of
Lady Townly. This, however, was nature, which would not be repressed;
not art, that strove to be displayed.
But no pleasure excited by her various powers, approached to the
pleasure which they bestowed upon Harleigh, who could look at, could
listen to her alone. To himself, he lost all power of doing justice;
wrapt up in the contemplation of an object thus singular, thus
excelling, thus mysterious, all ambition to personally shining was
forgotten. He could not fail to speak his part with sense and feeling;
he could not help appearing fashioned to represent a man of rank and
understanding; but that address which gives life and meaning to every
phrase; that ingenuity, which beguiles the audience into an illusion,
which, for the current moment, inspires the sympathy due to reality;
that skill which brings forth on the very instant, all the effect which,
to the closet reader, an author can hope to produce from reflection;
these, the attributes of good acting, and for which his taste, his
spirit, and his judgment all fitted him, were now, from slackened
self-attention, beyond his reach, though within his powers. At a public
theatre, such an actress might have proved a spur to have urged the
exertions of competition; in this private one, where success, except to
vanity, was unimportant, her merit was, to Harleigh, an absorbent that
occupied, exclusively, all his faculties.
In the last act, where Lady Townly becomes serious, penitent, and
pathetic, the new actress appeared to yet greater advantage: the state
of her mind accorded with distress, and her fine speaking eyes, her
softly touching voice, her dejected air, and penetrating countenance,
made quicker passage to the feelings of her auditors, even than the
words of the author. All were moved, tears were shed from almost every
eye, and Harleigh, affected and enchanted, at the moment of the
peace-making, took her hand with so much eagerness, and pressed it to
his lips with so much pleasure, that the rouge, put on for the occasion,
was paler than the blushes which burnt through it on her cheeks. He saw
this, and, checking his admiration, relinquished with respect the hand
which he had taken nearly with rapture.
When the play was over, and the loudest applause had marked its
successful representation, the company arose to pay their compliments to
Mrs Maple. Lady Townly, then, followed by every eyes, was escaping from
bearing her share in the bursts of general approbation; when a youth of
the most engaging appearance, and evidently of high fashion, sprang over
the forms, to impede her retreat; and to pour forth the highest
encomiums upon her performance, in well-bred, though enthusiastic
language, with all the eager vivacity of early youth, which looks upon
moderation as insipidity, and measured commendation as want of feeling.
Though confused by being detained, Ellis could not be angry, for there
was no impertinence in his fervour, no familiarity in his panegyric; and
though his speech was rapid, his manners were gentle. His eulogy was
free from any presumption of being uttered for her gratification; it
seemed simply the uncontrollable ebullition of ingenuous gratitude.
Surprised still more than all around her, at the pleasure which she
found she had communicated, some share of it now stole insensibly into
her own bosom; and this was by no means lessened, by seeing her youthful
new admirer soon followed by a lady still younger than himself, who
called out, 'Do you think, brother, to monopolize Miss Ellis?' And, with
equal delight, and nearly equal ardour, she joined in the
acknowledgements made by her brother, for the entertainment which they
had received; and both united in declaring that they should never endure
to see or hear any other Lady Townly.
There was a charm, for there seemed a sincerity in this youthful tribute
of admiration, that was highly gratifying to the new actress; and
Harleigh thought he read in her countenance, the soothing relief
experienced by a delicate mind, from meeting with politeness and
courtesie, after a long endurance of indignity or neglect.
Almost everybody among the audience, one by one, joined this little set,
all eager to take a nearer view of the lovely Lady Townly, and availing
themselves of the opportunity afforded by this season of compliment, for
examining more narrowly whom it was that they addressed.
Mrs Maple, meanwhile, suffered the utmost perplexity: far from
foreseeing an admiration which thus bore down all before it, she had
conceived that, the piece once finished, the actress would vanish, and
be thought of no more: nor was she without hope, in her utter disdain of
the stranger, that the part thus given merely by necessity, would be so
ill represented, as to disgust her niece from any such frolics in
future. But when, on the contrary, she found that there was but one
voice in favour of this unknown performer; when not all her own pride,
nor all her prejudice, could make her blind to that performer's truly
elevated carriage and appearance; when every auditor flocked to her,
with 'Who is this charming Miss Ellis?'--'Present us to this
incomparable Miss Ellis;' she felt covered with shame and regret; though
compelled, for her own credit, to continue repeating, that she was a
young lady of family who had passed over with her from the Continent.
Provoked, however, she now followed the crowd, meaning to give a hint to
the Incognita to retire; but she had the mortification of hearing her
gallant new enthusiast pressing for her hand, in a cotillon, which they
were preparing to dance; and though the stranger gently, yet steadily,
was declining his proposition, Mrs Maple was so much frightened and
irritated that such a choice should be in her power, that she called out
impatiently, 'My Lord, we must have some refreshments before the dance.
Do pray, Lady Aurora Granville, beg Lord Melbury to come this way, and
take something.'
The young lord and lady, with civil but cold thanks, that spoke their
dislike of this interference, both desired to be excused; but great was
their concern, and universal, throughout the apartment, was the
consternation, upon observing Miss Ellis change colour, and sink upon a
chair, almost fainting. Harleigh, who had strongly marked the grace and
dignity with which she had received so much praise, now cast a glance of
the keenest indignation at Mrs Maple, attributing to her rude
interruption of the little civilities so evidently softening to the
stranger, this sudden indisposition; but Mrs Maple either saw it not, or
did not understand it, and seized, with speed, the opportunity of
saying, that Miss Ellis was exhausted by so much acting, and of desiring
that some of the maids might help her to her chamber.
Elinor stood suspended, looking not at her, but at Harleigh. Every one
else came forward with inquiry, fans, or sweet-scented vials; but Ellis,
a little reviving, accepted the salts of Lady Aurora Granville, and,
leaning against her waist, which her arm involuntarily encircled,
breathed hard and shed a torrent of tears.
'Why don't the maids come?' cried Mrs Maple. 'Selina, my dear, do call
them. Lady Aurora, I am quite ashamed.--Miss Ellis, what are you
thinking of, to lean so against Her Ladyship? Pray, Mr Ireton, call the
maids for me.'
'Call no one, I beg!' cried Lady Aurora: 'Why should I not have the
pleasure of assisting Miss Ellis?' And, bending down, she tried better
to accommodate herself to the ease and relief of her new acquaintance,
who appeared the more deeply sensible of her kindness, from the
ungenerous displeasure which it evidently excited in Mrs Maple. And
when, in some degree recovered, she rose to go, she returned her thanks
to Lady Aurora with so touching a softness, with tearful eyes, and in a
voice so plaintive, that Lady Aurora, affected by her manner, and
charmed by her merit, desired still to support her, and, entreating that
she would hold by her arm, begged permission of Mrs Maple to accompany
Miss Ellis to her chamber.
Mrs Maple recollecting, with the utmost confusion, the small and
ordinary room allotted for Ellis, so unlike what she would have bestowed
upon such a young lady as she now described for her fellow-voyager,
found no resource against exposing it to Lady Aurora, but that of
detaining the object of her compassionate admiration; she stammered,
therefore, out, that as Miss Ellis seemed so much better, there could be
no reason why she should not stay below, and see the dance.
Ellis gladly courtsied her consent; and the watchful Harleigh, in the
alacrity of her acceptance, rejoiced to see a revival to the sentiments
of pleasure, which the acrimonious grossness of Mrs Maple had
interrupted.
Lord Melbury now took the hand of Selina, and Harleigh that of Lady
Aurora. Elinor would not dance, but, seating herself, fixed her eyes
upon Harleigh, whose own were almost perpetually wandering to watch
those of his dramatic consort.
Since the first scene, in which the stranger had so ill entered into the
spirit of Lady Townly's character, Elinor had ceased to deem her worthy
of observation; and, giving herself up wholly to her own part, had not
witnessed the gradations of the improvements of Ellis, her rising
excellence, nor her final perfection. In her own representation of Lady
Wronghead, she piqued herself upon producing new effects, and had the
triumph, by her cleverness and eccentricities, her grotesque attitudes
and attire, and an unexpected and burlesque manner of acting, to bring
the part into a consequence of which it had never appeared susceptible.
Happy in the surprise and diversion she occasioned, and constantly
occupied how to augment it, she only learnt the high success of Lady
Townly, by the bursts of applause, and the unbounded admiration and
astonishment, which broke forth from nearly every mouth, the instant
that the audience and the performers were united. Amazed, she turned to
Harleigh, to examine the merits of such praise; but Harleigh, no longer
silent, cautious, or cold, was himself one of the 'admiring throng,' and
so openly, and with an air of so much pleasure, that she could not catch
his attention for any critical discussion.
After two country dances, and two cotillons, the short ball was broken
up, and Lady Aurora hastened to seat herself by Miss Ellis, and Lord
Melbury to stand before and to converse with her, followed by all the
youthful part of the company, to whom she seemed the sovereign of a
little court which came to pay her homage. Harleigh grew every instant
more enchanted; for as she discoursed with her two fervent new admirers,
her countenance brightened into an animation so radiant, her eyes became
so lustrous, and smiles of so much sweetness and pleasure embellished
every feature, that he almost fancied he saw her now for the first time,
though her welfare, or her distresses, had for more than a month chiefly
occupied his mind. Who art thou? thought he, as incessantly he
contemplated her; where hast thou thus been formed? And for what art
thou designed?
Supper being now announced, Mrs Maple commissioned Harleigh to lead Lady
Aurora down stairs, adding, with a forced smile of civility, that Miss
Ellis must consult her health in retiring.
'Yes, Ma'am; and Miss Ellis knows,' cried Lady Aurora, offering her arm,
'who is to be her chevalier.'
Again embarrassed, Mrs Maple saw no resource against exposing her shabby
chamber, but that of admitting its occupier to the supper table. She
hastily, therefore, asked whether Miss Ellis thought herself well enough
to sit up a little longer; adding, 'For my part, I think it will do you
good.'
'The greatest!' cried Ellis, with a look of delight; and, to the
speechless consternation of Mrs Maple, Lord Melbury, calling her the
Queen of the night, took her hand, to conduct her to the supper-room.
Ellis would have declined this distinction, but that the vivacity of her
ardent new friend, precipitated her to the staircase, ere she was aware
that she was the first to lead the way thither. Gaily, then, he would
have placed her in the seat of honour, as Lady President of the evening;
but, more now upon her guard, she insisted upon standing till the
visitors should be arranged, as she was herself a resident in the house.
Lord Melbury, however, quitted her not, and would talk to no one else;
and finding that his seat was destined to be next to that of Mrs Maple,
who called him to her side, he said, that he never supped, and would
therefore wait upon the ladies; and, drawing a chair behind that of
Ellis, he devoted himself to conversing with her, upon her part, upon
the whole play, and upon dramatic works, French and English, in general,
with the eagerness with which such subjects warm the imagination of
youth, and with a pleasure which made him monopolize her attention.
Harleigh listened to every word to which Ellis listened, or to which she
answered; and scarcely knew whether most to admire her good sense, her
intelligent quickness, her elegant language, or the meaning eyes, and
varied smiles which spoke before she spoke, and shewed her entire
conception of all to which she attended.
No one now could address her; she was completely engrossed by the young
nobleman, who allowed her not time to turn from him a moment.
Such honours shewn to a pauper, a stroller, a vagabond; and all in the
present instance, from her own unfortunate contrivance, Mrs Maple
considered as a personal disgrace; a sensation which was three-fold
encreased when the party broke up, and Lady Aurora, taking the chair of
her brother, rallied him upon the envy which his situation had excited;
while, in the most engaging manner, she hoped, during her sojourn at
Brighthelmstone, to have frequently the good fortune of taking her
revenge. Then, joining in their conversation, she became so pleased, so
interested, so happy, that twice Mrs Howel, the lady under whose care
she had been brought to Lewes, reminded Her Ladyship that the horses
were waiting in the cold, before she could prevail upon herself to
depart. And, even then, that lady was forced to take her gently by the
arm, to prevent her from renewing the conversation which she most
unwillingly finished. 'Pardon me, dear Madam,' said Lady Aurora; 'I am
quite ashamed; but I hope, while I am so happy as to be with you, that
you will yourself conceive a fellow feeling, how difficult it is to tear
one's self away from Miss Ellis.'
'What honour Your Ladyship does me!' cried Ellis, her eyes glistening:
'and Oh!--how happy you have made me!'--
'How kind you are to say so!' returned Lady Aurora, taking her hand.
She felt a tear drop upon her own from the bent-down eyes of Ellis.
Startled, and astonished, she hoped that Miss Ellis was not again
indisposed?
Smilingly, yet in a voice that denoted extreme agitation, 'Lady Aurora
alone,' she answered, 'can be surprised that so much goodness--so
unlooked for--so unexpected--should be touching!'
'O Mrs Maple,' cried Lady Aurora, in taking leave of that lady, 'what a
sweet creature is this Miss Ellis!'
'Such talents and a sensibility so attractive,' said Lord Melbury,
'never met before!'
Ellis heard them, and with a pleasure that seemed exquisite, yet that
died away the moment that they disappeared. All then crowded round her,
who had hitherto abstained; but she drooped; tears flowed fast down her
cheeks; she courtsied the acknowledgements which she could not pronounce
to her complimenters and enquirers, and mounted to her chamber.
Mrs Maple concluded her already so spoiled, by the praises of Lord
Melbury and Lady Aurora Granville, that she held herself superior to all
other; and the company in general imbibed the same notion. Many disdain,
or affect to disdain, the notice of people of rank for themselves, but
all are jealous of it for others.
Not such was the opinion of Harleigh; her pleasure in their society
seemed to him no more than renovation to feelings of happier days. Who,
who, thought he again, can'st thou be? And why, thus evidently
accustomed to grace society, why art thou thus strangely alone--thus
friendless--thus desolate--thus mysterious?