His face is purple with rage. With clenched fist he leaps from his seat; but, suddenly controlling himself, he says, with a rea.s.suring smile:
"Now be sensible, Mr. Berkman. You seem to be an intelligent man. Why don"t you talk sensibly?"
"What do you want to know?"
"Who went with you to Mr. Frick"s office?"
Impatient of the comedy, I rise with the words:
"I came to Pittsburgh alone. I stopped at the Merchants" Hotel, opposite the B. and O. depot. I signed the name Rakhmetov in the register there.
It"s a fict.i.tious name. My real name is Alexander Berkman. I went to Frick"s office alone. I had no helpers. That"s all I have to tell you."
"Very good, very good. Take your seat, Mr. Berkman. We"re not in any hurry. Take your seat. You may as well stay here as in the cell; it"s pleasanter. But I am going to have another cell fixed up for you. Just tell me, where do you stay in New York?"
"I have told you all there is to tell."
"Now, don"t be stubborn. Who are your friends?"
"I won"t say another word."
"d.a.m.n you, you"ll think better of it. Officers, take him back. Same cell."
Every morning and evening, during three days, the scene is repeated by new inquisitors. They coax and threaten, they smile and rage in turn. I remain indifferent. But water is refused me, my thirst aggravated by the salty food they have given me. It consumes me, it tortures and burns my vitals through the sleepless nights pa.s.sed on the hard wooden bench. The foul air of the cell is stifling. The silence of the grave torments me; my soul is in an agony of uncertainty.
CHAPTER VI
THE JAIL
I
The days ring with noisy clamor. There is constant going and coming. The clatter of levers, the slamming of iron doors, continually reverberates through the corridors. The dull thud of a footfall in the cell above hammers on my head with maddening regularity. In my ears is the yelling and shouting of coa.r.s.e voices.
"Cell num-ber ee-e-lev-ven! To court! Right a-way!"
A prisoner hurriedly pa.s.ses my door. His step is nervous, in his look expectant fear.
"Hurry, there! To court!"
"Good luck, Jimmie."
The man flushes and averts his face, as he pa.s.ses a group of visitors cl.u.s.tered about an overseer.
"Who is that, Officer?" One of the ladies advances, lorgnette in hand, and stares boldly at the prisoner. Suddenly she shrinks back. A man is being led past by the guards. His face is bleeding from a deep gash, his head swathed in bandages. The officers thrust him violently into a cell.
He falls heavily against the bed. "Oh, don"t! For Jesus" sake, don"t!"
The shutting of the heavy door drowns his cries.
The visitors crowd about the cell.
"What did he do? He can"t come out now, Officer?"
"No, ma"am. He"s safe."
The lady"s laugh rings clear and silvery. She steps closer to the bars, eagerly peering into the darkness. A smile of exciting security plays about her mouth.
"What has he done, Officer?"
"Stole some clothes, ma"am."
Disdainful disappointment is on the lady"s face. "Where is that man who--er--we read in the papers yesterday? You know--the newspaper artist who killed--er--that girl in such a brutal manner."
"Oh, Jack Tarlin. Murderers" Row, this way, ladies."
II
The sun is slowly nearing the blue patch of sky, visible from my cell in the western wing of the jail. I stand close to the bars to catch the cheering rays. They glide across my face with tender, soft caress, and I feel something melt within me. Closer I press to the door. I long for the precious embrace to surround me, to envelop me, to pour its soft balm into my aching soul. The last rays are fading away, and something out of my heart is departing with them.... But the lengthening shadows on the gray flagstones spread quiet. Gradually the clamor ceases, the sounds die out. I hear the creaking of rusty hinges, there is the click of a lock, and all is hushed and dark.
The silence grows gloomy, oppressive. It fills me with mysterious awe.
It lives. It pulsates with slow, measured breathing, as of some monster.
It rises and falls; approaches, recedes. It is Misery asleep. Now it presses heavily against my door. I hear its quickened breathing. Oh, it is the guard! Is it the death watch? His outline is lost in the semi-darkness, but I see the whites of his eyes. They stare at me, they watch and follow me. I feel their gaze upon me, as I nervously pace the floor. Unconsciously my step quickens, but I cannot escape that glint of steel. It grimaces and mocks me. It dances before me: it is here and there, all around me. Now it flits up and down; it doubles, trebles. The fearful eyes stare at me from a hundred depressions in the wall. On every side they surround me, and bar my way.
I bury my head in the pillow. My sleep is restless and broken. Ever the terrible gaze is upon me, watching, watching, the white eyeb.a.l.l.s turning with my every movement.
III
The line of prisoners files by my cell. They walk in twos, conversing in subdued tones. It is a motley crowd from the ends of the world. The native of the western part of the State, the "Pennsylvania Dutchman," of stolid mien, pa.s.ses slowly, in silence. The son of southern Italy, stocky and black-eyed, alert suspicion on his face, walks with quick, nervous step. The tall, slender Spaniard, swarthy and of cla.s.sic feature, looks about him with suppressed disdain. Each, in pa.s.sing, casts a furtive glance into my cell. The last in the line is a young negro, walking alone. He nods and smiles broadly at me, exposing teeth of dazzling whiteness. The guard brings up the rear. He pauses at my door, his sharp eye measuring me severely, critically.
"You may fall in."
The cell is unlocked, and I join the line. The negro is at my side. He loses no time in engaging me in conversation. He is very glad, he a.s.sures me, that they have at last permitted me to "fall in." It was a shame to deprive me of exercise for four days. Now they will "call de night-dog off. Must been afeared o" soocide," he explains.
His flow of speech is incessant; he seems not a whit disconcerted by my evident disinclination to talk. Would I have a cigarette? May smoke in the cell. One can buy "de weed" here, if he has "de dough"; buy anything "cept booze. He is full of the prison gossip. That tall man there is Jack Tinford, of Homestead--sure to swing--threw dynamite at the Pinkertons. That little "dago" will keep Jack company--cut his wife"s throat. The "Dutchy" there is "bugs"--choked his son in sleep. Presently my talkative companion volunteers the information that he also is waiting for trial. Nothing worse than second degree murder, though.
Can"t hang him, he laughs gleefully. "His" man didn"t "croak" till after the ninth day. He lightly waves aside my remark concerning the ninth-day superst.i.tion. He is convinced they won"t hang him. "Can"t do"t," he reiterates, with a happy grin. Suddenly he changes the subject. "Wat am yo doin" heah? Only murdah cases on dis ah gal"ry. Yuh man didn" croak!"
Evidently he expects no answer, immediately a.s.suring me that I am "all right." "Guess dey b"lieve it am mo" safe foah yo. But can"t hang yo, can"t hang yo." He grows excited over the recital of his case. Minutely he describes the details. "Dat big n.i.g.g.ah, guess "e t"ot I"s afeared of "m. He know bettah now," he chuckles. "Dis ah chile am afeared of none ov"m. Ah ain"t. "Gwan "way, n.i.g.g.ah," Ah says to "m; "yo bettah leab mah gahl be." An" dat big black n.i.g.g.ah grab de cleaveh,--we"s in d"otel kitchen, yo see. "n.i.g.g.ah, drop dat," Ah hollos, an" he come at me. Den dis ah c.o.o.n pull his trusty li"lle brodeh," he taps his pocket significantly, "an" Ah lets de ornery n.i.g.g.ah hab it. Plum" in de belly, ya.s.sah, Ah does, an" he drop his cleaveh an" Ah pulls mah knife out, two inches, "bout, an" den Ah gives it half twist like, an" shoves it in "gen." He ill.u.s.trates the ghastly motion. "Dat bad n.i.g.g.ah neveh botheh _me_ "gen, noh n.o.body else, Ah guess. But dey can"t hang me, no sah, dey can"t, "cause mah man croak two weeks later. Ah"s lucky, ya.s.sah, Ah is."
His face is wreathed in a broad grin, his teeth shimmer white. Suddenly he grows serious. "Yo am strikeh? No-o-o? Not a steel-woikeh?" with utter amazement. "What yo wan" teh shoot Frick foah?" He does not attempt to disguise his impatient incredulity, as I essay an explanation. "Afeared t" tell. Yo am deep all right, Ahlick--dat am yuh name? But yo am right, ya.s.sah, yo am right. Doan" tell n.o.body. Dey"s mos"ly crooks, dat dey am, an" dey need watchin" sho". Yo jes" membuh dat."
There is a peculiar movement in the marching line. I notice a prisoner leave his place. He casts an anxious glance around, and disappears in the niche of the cell door. The line continues on its march, and, as I near the man"s hiding place, I hear him whisper, "Fall back, Aleck."
Surprised at being addressed in such familiar manner, I slow down my pace. The man is at my side.