Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

60
The prefect mrtrtc a sicrnal to the executioner, and be gave
wheels of the rack, round the wind-
:id whirl '.
i wound
; and the limbs of the
,i with a sudden jerk, which, though not
-till more. How much sweeter it is to be like Thee, stretched
upon Thy Cross, even than resting upon the hard couch at the
poor man's table !"
" Thou triflest with me," exclaimed the judge, thoroughly
" and makest light of my lenity. We will try some-
.
stronger. Here, Catulus, apply a. lighted
FABIOLA; OR
torch to her
sides."*
A thrill of disgust and horror ran through the assembly,
which could not help sympathizing with the poor blind creature.
A murmur of suppressed indignation broke out from
all sides of the hall.
Csecilia, for the first time, learnt that she was in the midst of
a crowd. A crimson glow of modesty rushed into her brow,
her face, neck, just before white as marble. The angry judge
checked the rising gush of feeling ; and all listened in Bi-
as she spoke again,
with warmer earnestness than
>i-e, :
" O my dear Lord and ! Spouse I have been ever true and
faithful to Thee ! Let me suffer pain and torture for Thee ;
but spare contusion from human eyes.
Let me come to Thee
at once ; not covering my face with my hands in shame, when
Another muttering of compassion was heard.
" Catulus 1 " shouted the baffled judge in fury ;
duty, sirrah ! what are you about, fumbling all day
" do your
with that
torch ?"
The executioner advanced, and stretched forth his hand to
her robe, to withdraw it for tue torture ; but he drew back, and,
turning to the prefect,
" it is too lute. She is dead '!"
" Dead !" cried out Tertullus ;
i '. impossible
!"
exclaimed in softened accents,
" dead with one turn of the
Catulus gave the rack a turn backwards, and the body re-
mained motionless, Jt WHS true ; she had passed from the rack
to the throne, from the scowl of the judge's countenance to her
Spouse's welcoming embrace. Had she breathed out her pure
.
i
y,' u l 1K sl B me, )
in the incense of her prayer ? or had
her heart been unable to get back its blood, from the intensity
of that first virginal blush ?"t
Ln the stillness of it\ve and wonder, a clear bold voice cried
out from the group near the door
"
: Impious tyrant, dost
thou not see, that u poor blind Christian hath more power over
life and death, than thou or thy cruel masters?"
" What ! a third time in twenty-four hours wilt thou dare
'>.
to cross my path
This time thou shalt not escape."
These were Corvinus's words, garnished with a furious im-
. tKer's side round the en-
M-oup. But as he ran
b'iudly on, ho struck u; .
' of herculean build,
The rack was uwd fur ii
:1 'I'i'.l loim.ul, au:l to keep
Uu, ixxlj diBtaiided for UK n >>s of lire was one of
11).- Ul kt C. il.iiinm.
fnui of vrnjer, * i" ' V'"