Death Row's Angel

The chaplain had no doubt. He had already visited the majority of his inmates and was preparing to pay visit to his last one. He walked along a long narrow corridor, barely lit by torches hanging from the walls at regular intervals, as he tried to prepare himself mentally to meet him. It was going to be a long sleepless night! Seen from the west side approach, the building looked awesome and foreboding of doom. Its massive, austere flag-stone walls towering above, despite it being only a two storey building. Their greyness, reflecting the surrounding September London sky, cast fear into the soul of anyone unfortunate enough to be restrained within. And within, the gloom of incarceration oppressed the thoughts of all who lived the experience of being an inmate, and even the chaplain, who was passing through as a mere visitor and knew that he was soon to be out of it again, could feel the uncomfortable, clammy weight of that atmosphere. Life ran with extreme misery for all prisoners, but nothing like so terrible as for the unfortunate but growing number of people awaiting execution on death row. Such was the wont of the times! A man could be condemned to death for stealing a loaf of bread. But of course, if that be the law then the law must be observed and law breakers all, sooner or later got their comeuppances. Pirates, privateers, highwaymen, swindlers, robbers, murderers, traitors, cutthroats, felons of all ilk have dwelt within these walls and left their mark. Father Cornelius Morrison was preparing to visit one of them: Arthur Jonas Connelly, an Irish Highwayman of some renown who has been waiting for this date to come since his capture on April the 22, 1782. Tomorrow morning he is to be executed by hanging at the gallows in Tyburn and tonight, it being the last night of his imprisonment and his life, he is going to receive visits by the prison priest, the governor, the wardens and others who might have an interest in seeing him before he dies. The eve of an execution is always tense in Newgate, even though the majority of wardens have grown callous to these events which recur almost monthly. Arthur was a good looking man despite having lost a lot of weight in the months spent in prison. He paced up and down his cell, pensive and absorbed. Trying to breathe in the last breaths of what he knew to be the short remains of his earthly life. The prison priest entered his cell and greeted him. - “Good evening Arthur. The hour is fast approaching. Are you ready for me to hear your confession?” - “Ay. And what’s the good of it?” - “You are about to meet your maker son and if you go to Him with a clear soul, He might forgive you and spare you the pains of hell.” - “I’ve never been a man of much faith, else I would not be here now, would I ? I’ll give you my confession for all the good it will do me. Ay, just to please you.” - “No! not to please me! To please God. To beg his forgiveness for all your misdoings. To hope for his mercy and if He be merciful, that you might enjoy the pleasures of paradise after death.” - “The pleasures of paradise after death? What’s that? Even if there were a guarantee, I would happily trade them for one last hour of earthly pleasure.” - “What do you mean?” - “I mean that when I am dead, I am dead. I mean that I have not seen a woman for five months and it would be great to have the chance of having one before I go. Then I’ll go with happy memories. Incidentally. Is it not customary to grant a dying man his last whish?” - “Perhaps. But even if it were, I could not grant it to you.” - "True. But you could make sure that the Prison governor heard my request. Surely he can!” - “I am not sure. I have never heard of such a request before. But if you really insist, I shall speak to the governor and leave it with him. Now. What about your confession. It is all very well to gratify your body if you are allowed. But it is you soul that I must look after and there is noting better than repentance to cleanse it of your sins.” - “But I have no sins to expiate! I am paying my debt to society in this prison. Moreover, tomorrow my life comes to an end. Is that not payment enough for whatever misdemeanour I might be guilty of?” - “Here you have been condemned according to the law of man. Your soul must respond to the rule of God and religion says that confession and repentance is the only way to cleanse your soul.” - “But…” - “No but. Search your soul and prepare for confession.” There was a long moment of silence. The two men stared at each other as if in an effort to overwhelm the other through their sight. Finally Arthur said: - “What the heck! What more have I to lose?” Then kneeling by the priest: - “Forgive me father for I have sinned.” The priest heard his confession and at the end drew a heavy sigh. - “You have had a troubled life my son. I have no doubt though, that God in His endless mercy will find the way to forgive your sins. Prayer is the best way to reach God, so I commend you to pray. Recite 10 Holy father. And 10 Ave Maria.”