The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 173: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

166 THE AYSTERIES OF LONDON. public oxccutioner, attended by his twosons, appearcd at the foot of tho scaffold. One of the lads carried a small iron pot, at the bottom of which there was a grating: in this vessel was a bright fire of red hot cinders and charcoal. The other boy carried an iron implement in his hand. It was lihe a very smali shovel, with a tolerably long handle. The three wretches ascended the Indder, and the shouts and the hootings of the mob recommenced with inereased violonce as the public functionary bowed jocoscly to Macpherson. A horrible laugh issued from those who stood nearest, and who comprehended the fashion of theexecutioncr’s salute. This individual then arranged his paraphernaha in aconvenient manner. He placed the brazier close to the convict's chair, and put the chovel-looking implement into the fire. He next pro- ceeded ty inform Macpherson that he must take off his coat and other vestments from lis left shoulder. The prisoner obeyed mechanically. Le doffed his coa and his waistcoat on the Icft side; and the executioner instantly cut a dJarge square picce out of his shirt, just above the left shoulder- blade, immediately abeve the curve of the shoulder, The most Ireathless suspense now prevailed; and not acry—not a murmur was heard throughout the dense masses of people wedzred together around. ‘Take courage, my boy,’ said the executioner, half ironically and half in pity 3 fitwillonty be the affair ofafew moments.” T heard him make these remarhs— for I was close by the scaffold. He then proceeded to strap the convict tightly down in his chair, confined his arms and legs, and twisted the cords in such 2 manner around his body and the bach of the seat that he was rendered as motionless and powerless as if hy were a statue, Ten minutes elapsed, and the thick part of the iron was by that time red hot. Thi. was the crowning moment of the whole day's amu coment en mmnusement provided by the law that: frabade Dull. bans and punishes cruckiy to animals? The execu- tioner steoprd down, seized the aren, and applied: it te Macpherson’s flesh—to that bare part which the + quare cut out ofthe shirt had leftexp od. The iron hissed on tlie youny; man's shoulder; and a fearful yell es-aped his lips. The iron remained upon the flesh for two or three instants: the sufferer writhed in aseuy; but only that one Juid, long, and pieresng ery escaped hits hps. ‘The implement was withdrawnj;—ore of the executioner’s sons placed a cup-full of water to the convict’s lips, and thus sayed him from fainting in the chair, ‘The cords were then unboundj—the wun man’s dress wap adjusted—and the pondarmies todd him that they were ready to cenvey him bal to preon, As he pasccd through the dense multitnay that had witnes-ed his punishment, he now hun: down his head—abashed and ashamed. Even had he not felt the smart of the burn upon his back, the knowledge that he was branded with the mark of in- famy would have been sufficient thus to humble and subdue him. Women held up their children to gaze upon him as he passed along ;—he heard an old father bid his son take warning from the example he had just witnes:cd; and as he emerged from the crowd, and en- rorredm, he cMtively deserted treet, on his way back uttered, with 4 Deoht the fullawing words which were - Oh! there’s the rich, by one spectator to anothe:,— ‘Marked! ch—and \yn who has just been marhed f’— to his grave!’ thongh\ih a scar that he wonld carry He returned to the prisT, shuddering from head to foot. ment he entered the lobbn of Le Force; and the mo- had walked by his side frot-, he fell intomy arms; for I the Place de Gréve, The eer, ee eet courace of the man now failed him altogether; aud he burst inte a violent passion of grief. ‘The tears flowed in torrer 3s from his eyes; his breast heaved convul- sively. 3) endeavoured in vain to console him; and then I tl sught it best to allow his agony to have full vent, and he would feel relieved. The truth ef thir opinion was speedily confirmed; and, when Macphet- son dried his tears, he exclaimed, ‘Nuw that the firs: bitterness of my carcer of misery is over, I feel nerved and resigned to encounter the il!s which heaven has in store for me.’—* My dear friend,’ I said, ‘you must yet hope for many happy years: the term of your incarceration will soon pass away, and you will then hasten to England, where friends will be prepared to receive you with open arms, and enable you to forget the sorrows that will then be over!’—‘ Alas!” he erted —and the words still ring in my cars,—‘how can 1 forget all this degradation and infamy? How can ! ever again appear in the great world, every member of Which will have read my trial, and many of whom have this day seen me writhing beneath the hot iron in the hands of the public cxecutioner? Even sup- poring my innocence be eventually proved, and that all moral infamy be separated from my name, who will remove the scar from my shoulder? who will not remember that for five years I] shall have herded with the refuse of mankind? who will believe that, even if guiltless Lwent to the galleys, uncontaminated =! Thave been relea-cd from them? What father will | entrust his daughter to the conviet? what mother will consent to the union cf her child with aman who has, been publicly marked upon the scafluld? what brother would allow his si-ter, pure and chaste, to dink herself | to one whose outset in Tife has been so horribly charac- teris das imine? .\nd Ja-tly, lastly,’ added he, sinking his vence almost to a whisper, and clenching his fists: ane grinding his teeth ashe spoke,—tand lastly, who can Tomeve the deep, deep scar frum my heart, even should there be a phy -ieian shilfal enough to cflace the ene upon my sheulder?’"—12 was then compelled to tuhe leave of him; aud,on the following day, he was i removed to Bicétre and lodged with the otherconvicts | who were about to travel the same road togather. He now found Chat his situation was wretched indeed, Compelled to associate with men who had been guilty of the mort horrible crime-, and who gloried in their infamy, his cars were offended with their obscene con-— ! versation and theie fearfil blasphemics; and he was | HH-treated by his fullow-prisoners, because he would not laugh at their jokes or join in their revolting dis- eour:e. If he threatened to complain, he was reviled and anochead. But To shall hasten to the end of my storv—or at least to this part of it. The day for the departure of the Chain of Galley-Slaves arrived; and 1 took leave of my unfortunate friend. Tle was con- ducted to Brest, where he worked on the port fora short time; and then, on account of his good conduct, ho was made a clerk in the oflice of the Governor, This wits the last account IT lieard of him while be was at the Galleys; for just at that period the death ofa} distant relative called me to England, and the inkerit- ance of some property was accompanied with the con- dition that I should change my name to that of the individual whose fortune thus devolved upon me. “Six years had passed,” continued Mr. Scaluw,— “six years since the events which J have just related to you, when accident enabled ine to obtain a complete assurance of that which I had all along fully believed, —namely, the iunceence of Macpherson respecting the forgery. Iwasa passing down Aldersgate Street late a rt ae te re re ee ne eee EConnicloooks (SO)