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the bulk and stature of the Bell … incomprehensibly； a figure and the Bell
itself。 Gigantic； grave； and darkly watchful of him； as he stood rooted to
the ground。
Mysterious and awful figures！ Resting on nothing； poised in the
night air of the tower； with their draped and hooded heads merged in the
dim roof； motionless and shadowy。 Shadowy and dark； although he saw
them by some light belonging to themselves … none else was there … each
with its muffled hand upon its goblin mouth。
He could not plunge down wildly through the opening in the floor； for
all power of motion had deserted him。 Otherwise he would have done so
… aye； would have thrown himself； headforemost； from the steeple…top；
rather than have seen them watching him with eyes that would have waked
and watched although the pupils had been taken out。
Again； again； the dread and terror of the lonely place； and of the wild
and fearful night that reigned there； touched him like a spectral hand。
His distance from all help； the long； dark； winding； ghost…beleaguered way
that lay between him and the earth on which men lived； his being high；
high； high； up there； where it had made him dizzy to see the birds fly in
the day； cut off from all good people； who at such an hour were safe at
home and sleeping in their beds； all this struck coldly through him； not as
a reflection but a bodily sensation。 Meantime his eyes and thoughts and
fears； were fixed upon the watchful figures； which； rendered unlike any
figures of this world by the deep gloom and shade enwrapping and
enfolding them； as well as by their looks and forms and supernatural
hovering above the floor； were nevertheless as plainly to be seen as were
the stalwart oaken frames； cross…pieces； bars and beams； set up there to
support the Bells。 These hemmed them； in a very forest of hewn timber；
from the entanglements； intricacies； and depths of which； as from among
the boughs of a dead wood blighted for their phantom use； they kept their
darksome and unwinking watch。
A blast of air … how cold and shrill！ … came moaning through the tower。
As it died away； the Great Bell； or the Goblin of the Great Bell； spoke。
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'What visitor is this！' it said。 The voice was low and deep； and Trotty
fancied that it sounded in the other figures as well。
'I thought my name was called by the Chimes！' said Trotty； raising his
hands in an attitude of supplication。 'I hardly know why I am here； or
how I came。 I have listened to the Chimes these many years。 They
have cheered me often。'
'And you have thanked them？' said the Bell。
'A thousand times！' cried Trotty。
'How？'
'I am a poor man；' faltered Trotty； 'and could only thank them in
words。'
'And always so？' inquired the Goblin of the Bell。 'Have you never
done us wrong in words？'
'No！' cried Trotty eagerly。
'Never done us foul； and false； and wicked wrong； in words？' pursued
the Goblin of the Bell。
Trotty was about to answer； 'Never！' But he stopped； and was
confused。
'The voice of Time；' said the Phantom； 'cries to man； Advance！ Time is
for his advancement and improvement； for his greater worth； his greater
happiness； his better life； his progress onward to that goal within its
knowledge and its view； and set there； in the period when Time and He
began。 Ages of darkness； wickedness； and violence； have come and gone
… millions uncountable； have suffered； lived； and died … to point the way
before him。 Who seeks to turn him back； or stay him on his course；
arrests a mighty engine which will strike the meddler dead； and be the
fiercer and the wilder； ever； for its momentary check！'
'I never did so to my knowledge； sir；' said Trotty。 'It was quite by
accident if I did。 I wouldn't go to do it； I'm sure。'
'Who puts into the mouth of Time； or of its servants；' said the Goblin
of the Bell； 'a cry of lamentation for days which have had their trial and
their failure； and have left deep traces of it which the blind may see … a cry
that only serves the present time； by showing men how much it needs their
help when any ears can listen to regrets for such a past … who does this；
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The Chimes
does a wrong。 And you have done that wrong； to us； the Chimes。'
Trotty's first excess of fear was gone。 But he had felt tenderly and
gratefully towards the Bells； as you have seen； and when he heard himself
arraigned as one who had offended them so weightily； his heart was
touched with penitence and grief。
'If you knew；' said Trotty； clasping his hands earnestly … 'or perhaps
you do know … if you know how often you have kept me company； how
often you have cheered me up when I've been low； how you were quite the
plaything of my little daughter Meg （almost the only one she ever had）
when first her mother died； and she and me were left alone； you won't bear
malice for a hasty word！'
'Who hears in us； the Chimes； one note bespeaking disregard； or stern
regard； of any hope； or joy； or pain； or sorrow； of the many… sorrowed
throng； who hears us make response to any creed that gauges human
passions and affections； as it gauges the amount of miserable food on
which humanity may pine and wither； does us wrong。 That wrong you
have done us！' said the Bell。
'I have！' said Trotty。 'Oh forgive me！'
'Who hears us echo the dull vermin of the earth： the Putters Down of
crushed and broken natures； formed to be raised up higher than such
maggots of the time can crawl or can conceive；' pursued the Goblin of the
Bell； 'who does so； does us wrong。 And you have done us wrong！'
'Not meaning it；' said Trotty。 'In my ignorance。 Not meaning it！'
'Lastly； and most of all；' pursued the Bell。 'Who turns his back upon
the fallen and disfigured of his kind； abandons them as vile； and does not
trace and track with pitying eyes the unfenced precipice by which they fell
from good … grasping in their fall some tufts and shreds of that lost soil；
and clinging to them still when bruised and dying in the gulf below； does
wrong to Heaven and man； to time and to eternity。 And you have done
that wrong！'
'Spare me！' cried Trotty； falling on his knees； 'for Mercy's sake！'
'Listen！' said the Shadow。
'Listen！' cried the other Shadows。
'Listen！' said a clear and childlike voice； which Trotty thought he
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recognised as having heard before。
The organ sounded faintly in the church below。 Swelling by degrees；
the melody ascended to the roof； and filled the choir and nave。
Expanding more and more； it rose up； up； up； up； higher； higher； higher up；
awakening agitated hearts within the burly piles of oak： the hollow bells；
the iron…bound doors； the stairs of solid stone； until the tower walls were
insufficient to contain it； and it soared into the sky。
No wonder that an old man's breast could not contain a sound so vast
and mighty。 It broke from that weak prison in a rush of tears； and Trotty
put his hands before his face。
'Listen！' said the Shadow。
'Listen！' said the other Shadows。
'Listen！' said the child's voice。
A solemn strain of blended voices； rose into the tower。
It was a very low and mournful strain … a Dirge … and as he listened；
Trotty heard his child among the singers。
'She is dead！' exclaimed the old man。 'Meg is dead！ Her Spirit calls
to me。 I hear it！'
'The Spirit of your child bewails the dead； and mingles with the dead …
dead hopes； dead fancies； dead imaginings of youth；' returned the Bell； 'but
she is living。 Learn from her life； a living truth。 Learn from the
creature dearest to your heart； how bad the bad are born。 See