ad not exerted themselves still
farther, he would have sunk. But the men still performed their duty, and
dragged him hurriedly along, scarcely now with any aid from his feet,
which, obeying no impulse of the loose and flaccid muscles, were thrown
about in every direction, with, a shuffling, lumbering noise, and a
clanking of the chain, that must have produced an extraordinary effect on
those who waited in the adjoining cells. The noise thus produced was indeed
all that was heard; for the effect of the poison was such as to take away
all power of groaning. I was now doubtful if all the working of the men
would be able to keep off much longer the sleepy incubus, for he seemed to
have lost almost all power of seconding their efforts; but the door of the
jail again opened, and the sound of the grating hinges made him again lift
his head. His eye seemed to indicate that he had lost all sense of the
passing of the moments, and I could not discover whether he looked for the
entry of one bearing his letter of salvation, or of the jailor with his
hammer, to knock the chain from his feet, and lead him forth to the
scaffold. He again muttered some words as the turnkey was proceeding
forward to where I was. I could not make them out, so faint had his voice
now become; but one of the men said he wished to know the hour. I told him
it was one o'clock--that was just one hour from the appointed termination
of his life. The turnkey, meanwhile, whispered in my ear that his father,
mother, and sister had arrived. It was the sound of their carriage wheels
that we had heard. I enjoined upon the men the necessity of continuing
their labours, and went out to prevent the entry of his parents to the
witnessing of a scene transcending all their powers of bearing. I found the
three standing in the recess where the executioner was sitting in gloomy
silence. I took the father and mother by the arms, and hurried them away to
the empty cell, where the chaplain and several officials were collected.
The turnkey saw his error, and excused himself, on the ground that he was
confused by the extraordinary state of affairs within the prison. I
ascertained that no notice had been made to his parents of his having taken
the drug. They had come to take farewell of him. The mail had arrived, but
had brought no intelligence--not even of the petition having been disposed
of; and, having given up all hope, their intention was that the mother and
daughter should, afte