Butte record., 1854-05-20
Concluded from First Page. 7

dehed drove her almost to madness
"You have yet to learn that this hand,
now raised against thy life, but short
time since was outstretched against our
innocent babes If l should forget that
| am parent, and end their suferincs
and misery with her own"
"Ah no, be merciful, aud slay me
me only; let mine be the only blood that
shall flow," interrupted Polio. shudder-
ing. But she needed him not Her
threat increased in fury Adclgisa, de
nounced by Norma herself. as having
lured the false-heartcd procowul within
the limits Of their mysterious groves,
shall perish in the blazing pile appointed
to punish priestesses who sweryed from
VOWS solemn as those which bound the
votaresses of the temple. The last threat
overpowered all the tirmness and resolu-
tons of the proconsul, who sinking on
his knees, besought the angry pricstess
to allow her just wrath to descend on his
head alone, but in pity 10 spare the in
nocent.
cat length you sec and feel nv pow
er," exclaimed Norma. smiling with calm
contempt; "but the hour for pity has
passed away. Through the bosom of
her thou lowest and preferest to me, will
reach thy heart, and teach thee to feel
and understand the deep agony of mine.
Ministers, priests, appear ! Norma COM
Inands your presence, Behold,' con-
tinues the daughter Of Oroyeso, as the
crowd rush in and line the stage, in ca
ger expectation Of what they we're about
to hear, "behold, | deliver fresh VIC
tim to just anger. A prejured priestess
has broken her vow, betrayed her coun-
try, and outraged the gods of her fore
fathers"
"Who is the guilty woman :" demand
cd a hundred angry voices 'tell us with
out delay, that just retribution may wash
out the stain she has cast upon our
sacred religion"
Norma was about to name her unpar-
donable rival, when, after moments
'ndecislon, she cast one long look of con-
centrated love, pity, and regret on Pol
Ito, and then, advancing firmly and ma
jestically before the priests, uttered dis
tinctly the words
'TIs NORMA Let the pile be pre-
pared :"
Oroveso, struck with horror at this ia
tal and unlooked-for revelation, held his
clasped hands in mute agony towards
heaven. One universal cry was h ard
from every lip.
Norma 'Tis false She would de.
ceive us. We believe it not
81 speak the words of truth" replied
Norma, ''and / 60 to my merited punish
ment. And you, 0 cruel Polio, know
at last the faithful, enduring love you
have spurned-the heart you have bro
ken"
Polio touched with the heroic devo.
ton of her who had sacrificed all for
him, and now freely gave up her exist
ence rather than resign him to another,
awoke to deep, though too late sense of
all his injustice and ingratitulc Humbly
did he seek for pardon where he had so
deeply erred this obtained he welcomed
death as shared with her whom he again
recognized as sole mistress of his heart.
Norma, in low tone, commended her
hapless babes to the care of the wretch
ed parent, who, in ceaseless woe, be-
dewed his white beard with his thick
falling tears his pardon for the misery
she had brought upon him she humbly
prayed, and then bent one long look of
fond love on the faithless proconsul, till
the sacrificing priests, covering her in
the black veil (which signifed her hav-
ing ceased to be reckoned among the
living things of the earth, bore her away
to her punishment, the curtain slowly
descending on the mournful groups as
sembled around the sad scene.