96 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
the terrors and confirm the fortitude of those miserable 
victims who are doomed by the ferocious sanctity of 
Hindoo superstition to a premature death., and that 
too the most horrible. She was rapidly recovering 
from the partial stupor in which her mental faculties 
had been involved,, and in proportion as her perception 
cleared, her terrors visibly multiplied. Her actions, 
which had at first appeared merely mechanical, now 
seemed directed by her returning impulses, which 
every moment grew stronger and more distressing. 
Still, though there was manifestly a fierce struggle 
within, it was plain to be seen that her efforts to ob- 
tain the mastery over her wavering resolution were 
those of no common mind and of no common energy ; 
she was, however, so assailed by the tide of emotions 
which now seemed to rush like a torrent upon her 
soul, that her actions were often incoherent. She 
divided among her friends the different ornaments 
of her dress, with the look and bearing of one who 
from the distraction of her thoughts scarcely knew what 
she was doing ; but suddenly, hearing the cry of her 
babe, all the feelings of the mother returned; her eye 
dilated with a sudden gleam of tender recognition, 
her lip quivered, her bosom heaved, her breath escaped 
in short, hard gaspings ; she sprang forward, tore it 
from the arms of an attendant, and clasped it passion- 
ately to her bosom. Her convulsive sobs struck upon 
my ear with a most thrilling potency of appeal, but 
there was no possibility of rescuing her from the 
doom to which she had chosen to submit. It was 
now clear to all the bystanders that she was inward- 
ly shrinking from the last act of this most horrible 
