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Upon the whole it seemed wiser not to act on a mere fancy。 She went
to bed again。
An hour later； when Owen was thinking of getting up； a knocking came
to the front door。 The next minute something touched the glass of
Owen's window。 He waitedthe noise was repeated。 A little gravel
had been thrown against it to arouse him。
He crossed the room； pulled up the blind； and looked out。 A solemn
white face was gazing upwards from the road； expectantly straining
to catch the first glimpse of a person within the panes。 It was the
face of a Knapwater man sitting on horseback。
Owen saw his errand。 There is an unmistakable look in the face of
every man who brings tidings of death。 Graye opened the window。
'Miss Aldclyffe 。 。 。 ' said the messenger； and paused。
'Ahdead？'
'Yesshe is dead。'
'When did she die？'
'At ten minutes past four； after another effusion。 She knew best；
you see； sir。 I started directly； by the rector's orders。'
SEQUEL
Fifteen months have passed； and we are brought on to Midsummer
Night； 1867。
The picture presented is the interior of the old belfry of Carriford
Church； at ten o'clock in the evening。
Six Carriford men and one stranger are gathered there； beneath the
light of a flaring candle stuck on a piece of wood against the wall。
The six Carriford men are the well…known ringers of the fine…toned
old bells in the key of F； which have been music to the ears of
Carriford parish and the outlying districts for the last four
hundred years。 The stranger is an assistant； who has appeared from
nobody knows where。
The six nativesin their shirt…sleeves； and without hatspull and
catch frantically at the dancing bellropes； the locks of their hair
waving in the breeze created by their quick motions； the stranger；
who has the treble bell； does likewise； but in his right mind and
coat。 Their ever…changing shadows mingle on the wall in an endless
variety of kaleidoscopic forms； and the eyes of all the seven are
religiously fixed on a diagram like a large addition sum； which is
chalked on the floor。
Vividly contrasting with the yellow light of the candle upon the
four unplastered walls of the tower； and upon the faces and clothes
of the men； is the scene discernible through the screen beneath the
tower archway。 At the extremity of the long mysterious avenue of
the nave and chancel can be seen shafts of moonlight streaming in at
the east window of the churchblue； phosphoric； and ghostly。
A thorough renovation of the bell…ringing machinery and accessories
had taken place in anticipation of an interesting event。 New ropes
had been provided； every bell had been carefully shifted from its
carriage； and the pivots lubricated。 Bright red 'sallies' of
woollen texturesoft to the hands and easily caughtglowed on the
ropes in place of the old ragged knots； all of which newness in
small details only rendered more evident the irrepressible aspect of
age in the mass surrounding them。
The triple…bob…major was ended； and the ringers wiped their faces
and rolled down their shirt…sleeves； previously to tucking away the
ropes and leaving the place for the night。
'Piphhhh！ A good forty minutes；' said a man with a streaming
face； and blowing out his breathone of the pair who had taken the
tenor bell。
'Our friend here pulled proper wellthat 'a didseeing he's but a
stranger；' said Clerk Crickett； who had just resigned the second
rope； and addressing the man in the black coat。
''A did；' said the rest。
'I enjoyed it much；' said the man modestly。
'What we should ha' done without you words can't tell。 The man that
d'belong by rights to that there bell is ill o' two gallons o' wold
cider。'
'And now so's；' remarked the fifth ringer； as pertaining to the last
allusion； 'we'll finish this drop o' metheglin and cider； and every
man home…along straight as a line。'
'Wi' all my heart；' Clerk Crickett replied。 'And the Lord send if I
ha'n't done my duty by Master Teddy Springrovethat I have so。'
'And the rest o' us；' they said； as the cup was handed round。
'Ay； ayin ringenbut I was spaken in a spiritual sense o' this
mornen's business o' mine up by the chancel rails there。 'Twas very
convenient to lug her here and marry her instead o' doen it at that
twopenny…halfpenny town o' Budm'th。 Very convenient。'
'Very。 There was a little fee for Master Crickett。'
'Ahwell。 Money's moneyvery much soveryI always have said
it。 But 'twas a pretty sight for the nation。 He coloured up like
any maid； that 'a did。'
'Well enough 'a mid colour up。 'Tis no small matter for a man to
play wi' fire。'
'Whatever it may be to a woman；' said the clerk absently。
'Thou'rt thinken o' thy wife； clerk；' said Gad Weedy。 'She'll play
wi'it again when thou'st got mildewed。'
'Welllet her； God bless her； for I'm but a poor third man； I。 The
Lord have mercy upon the fourth！ 。 。 。 Ay； Teddy's got his own at
last。 What little white ears that maid hev； to be sure！ choose your
wife as you choose your piga small ear and a small talethat was
always my joke when I was a merry feller； ahyears agone now！ But
Teddy's got her。 Poor chap； he was getten as thin as a hermit wi'
griefso was she。'
'Maybe she'll pick up now。'
'True'tis nater's law； which no man shall gainsay。 Ah； well do I
bear in mind what I said to Pa'son Raunham； about thy mother's
family o' seven； Gad； the very first week of his comen here； when I
was just in my prime。 〃And how many daughters has that poor Weedy
got； clerk？〃 he says。 〃Six； sir；〃 says I； 〃and every one of 'em has
a brother！〃 〃Poor woman；〃 says he； 〃a dozen children！give her
this half…sovereign from me； clerk。〃 'A laughed a good five minutes
afterwards； when he found out my merry nater'a did。 But there；
'tis over wi' me now。 Enteren the Church is the ruin of a man's wit
for wit's nothen without a faint shadder o' sin。'
'If so be Teddy and the lady had been kept apart for life； they'd
both ha' died；' said Gad emphatically。
'But now instead o' death there'll be increase o' life；' answered
the clerk。
'It all went proper well；' said the fifth bell…ringer。 'They didn't
flee off to Babylonish placesnot they。' He struck up an attitude…
…'Here's Master Springrove standen so： here's the married woman
standen likewise； here they d'walk across to Knapwater House； and
there they d'bide in the chimley corner； hard and fast。'
'Yes； 'twas a pretty wedden； and well attended；' added the clerk。
'Here was my lady herselfred as scarlet： here was Master
Springrove； looken as if he half wished he'd never a…comeah； poor
souls！the men always do！ The women do stand it bestthe maid was
in her glory。 Though she was so shy the glory shone plain through
that shy skin。 Ah； it did so's。'
'Ay；' said Gad； 'and there was Tim Tankins and his five journeymen
carpenters； standen on tiptoe and peepen in at the chancel winders。
There was Dairyman Dodman waiten in his new spring…cart to see 'em
come outwhip in handthat 'a was。 Then up comes two master
tailors。 Then there was Christopher Runt wi' his pickaxe and
shovel。 There was wimmen…folk and there was men…folk traypsen up
and down church'ard till they wore a path wi' traypsen soletten
the squallen children slip down through their arms and nearly
skinnen o' em。 And these were all over and above the gentry and
Sunday…clothes folk inside。 Well； I seed Mr。 Graye at last dressed
up quite the dand。 〃Well； Mr。 Graye；〃 says I from the top o'
church'ard wall； 〃how's yerself？〃 Mr。 Graye never spokehe'd
prided away his hearen。 Seize the man； I didn' want en to spak。
Teddy hears it； and turns round： 〃All right； Gad！〃 says he； and
laughed like a boy。 There's more in Teddy。'
'Well；' said Clerk Crickett； turning to the man in black； 'now
you've been among us so long； and d'know us so well； won't ye tell
us what ye've come here for； and what your trade is？'
'I am no trade；' said the thin man； smiling； 'and I came to see the
wickedness of the land。'
'I said thou wast one o' the devil's brood wi' thy black clothes；'
replied a sturdy ringer； who had not spoken before。
'No； the truth is；' said the thin man； retracting at this horrible
translation； 'I came for a walk because it is a fine evening。'
'Now let's be off； neighbours；' the clerk interrupted。
The candle was inverted in the socket； and the whole party stepped
out into the churchyard。 The moon was shining within a day or two
of full； and just overlooked the three or four vast yews that stood
on the south…east side of the church； and rose in unvaried and flat
darkness against the illuminated atmosphere behind them。
'Good…night；' the clerk said to his comrades； when the door was
locked。 'My nearest way is through the park。'
'I suppose mine is too？' said the stranger。 'I am going to the
railway…station。'
'Of coursecome on。'
The two men went over a stile to the west； the remainder of the
party going into the road on the opposite side。
'And so the romance has ended well；' the clerk's companion remarked；
as they brushed along through the grass。 'But what is the truth of
the story about the property？'
'Now look here； neighbour；' said Clerk Cric