An American Tragedy Theodore Dreiser (whitelam books .TXT) đ
- Author: Theodore Dreiser
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In the midst of this, two days before his death and in a final burst of panic, Mrs. Griffiths wiring the Hon. David Waltham: âCan you say before your God that you have no doubt of Clydeâs guilt? Please wire. If you cannot, then his blood will be upon your head. His mother.â And Robert Fessler, the secretary to the Governor replying by wire: âGovernor Waltham does not think himself justified in interfering with the decision of the Court of Appeals.â
At last the final dayâ âthe final hourâ âClydeâs transfer to a cell in the old death house, where, after a shave and a bath, he was furnished with black trousers, a white shirt without a collar, to be opened at the neck afterwards, new felt slippers and gray socks. So accoutered, he was allowed once more to meet his mother and McMillan, who, from six oâclock in the evening preceding the morning of his death until four of the final morning, were permitted to remain near him to counsel with him as to the love and mercy of God. And then at four the warden appearing to say that it was time, he feared, that Mrs. Griffiths depart leaving Clyde in the care of Mr. McMillan. (The sad compulsion of the law, as he explained.) And then Clydeâs final farewell to his mother, before which, and in between the silences and painful twistings of heart strings, he had managed to say:
âMama, you must believe that I die resigned and content. It wonât be hard. God has heard my prayers. He has given me strength and peace.â But to himself adding: âHad he?â
And Mrs. Griffiths exclaiming: âMy son! My son, I know, I know. I have faith too. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that He is yours. Though we dieâ âyet shall we live!â She was looking heavenward, and seemed transfixed. Yet as suddenly turning to Clyde and gathering him in her arms and holding him long and firmly to her, whispering: âMy sonâ âmy babyâ ââ And her voice broke and trailed off into breathlessnessâ âand her strength seemed to be going all to him, until she felt she must leave or fallâ âAnd so she turned quickly and unsteadily to the warden, who was waiting for her to lead her to Auburn friends of McMillanâs.
And then in the dark of this midwinter morningâ âthe final momentâ âwith the guards coming, first to slit his right trouser leg for the metal plate and then going to draw the curtains before the cells: âIt is time, I fear. Courage, my son.â It was the Reverend McMillanâ ânow accompanied by the Reverend Gibson, who, seeing the prison guards approaching, was then addressing Clyde.
And Clyde now getting up from his cot, on which, beside the Reverend McMillan, he had been listening to the reading of John, 14, 15, 16: âLet not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in Godâ âbelieve also in me.â And then the final walk with the Reverend McMillan on his right hand and the Reverend Gibson on his leftâ âthe guards front and rear. But with, instead of the customary prayers, the Reverend McMillan announcing: âHumble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your care upon Him for He careth for you. Be at peace. Wise and righteous are His ways, who hath called us into His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that we have suffered a little. I am the way, the truth and the lifeâ âno man cometh unto the Father but by me.â
But various voicesâ âas Clyde entered the first door to cross to the chair room, calling: âGoodbye, Clyde.â And Clyde, with enough earthly thought and strength to reply: âGoodbye, all.â But his voice sounding so strange and weak, even to himself, so far distant as though it emanated from another being walking alongside of him, and not from himself. And his feet were walking, but automatically, it seemed. And he was conscious of that familiar shuffleâ âshuffleâ âas they pushed him on and on toward that door. Now it was here; now it was being opened. There it wasâ âat lastâ âthe chair he had so often seen in his dreamsâ âthat he so dreadedâ âto which he was now compelled to go. He was being pushed toward thatâ âinto thatâ âonâ âonâ âthrough the door which was now openâ âto receive himâ âbut which was as quickly closed again on all the earthly life he had ever known.
It was the Reverend McMillan, who, gray and wearyâ âa quarter of an hour later, walked desolatelyâ âand even a little uncertainlyâ âas one who is physically very weakâ âthrough the cold doors of the prison. It was so faintâ âso weakâ âso gray as yetâ âthis late winter dayâ âand so like himself now. Dead! He, Clyde, had walked so nervously and yet somehow trustingly beside him but a few minutes beforeâ âand now he was dead. The law! Prisons such as this. Strong, evil men who scoffed betimes where Clyde had prayed. That confession! Had he decided trulyâ âwith the wisdom of God, as God gave him to see wisdom? Had he? Clydeâs eyes! He, himselfâ âthe Reverend McMillan had all but fainted beside him as that cap was adjusted to his headâ âthat current turned onâ âand he had had to be assisted, sick and trembling, from the roomâ âhe upon whom Clyde had relied. And he had asked God for strengthâ âwas asking it.
He walked along the silent streetâ âonly to be compelled to pause and lean against a treeâ âleafless in the winterâ âso bare and bleak. Clydeâs eyes! That look as he sank limply into that terrible chair, his eyes fixed nervously and, as he thought, appealingly and dazedly upon him and the
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