the chimes(教堂钟声)-第15章
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figures； when and how the whispered 'Haunt and hunt him；' breathing
monotonously through his sleep or swoon； became a voice exclaiming in
the waking ears of Trotty； 'Break his slumbers；' when and how he ceased
to have a sluggish and confused idea that such things were； companioning
a host of others that were not； there are no dates or means to tell。 But；
awake and standing on his feet upon the boards where he had lately lain；
he saw this Goblin Sight。
He saw the tower； whither his charmed footsteps had brought him；
swarming with dwarf phantoms； spirits； elfin creatures of the Bells。 He
saw them leaping； flying； dropping； pouring from the Bells without a
pause。 He saw them； round him on the ground； above him； in the air；
clambering from him； by the ropes below； looking down upon him； from
the massive iron…girded beams； peeping in upon him； through the chinks
and loopholes in the walls； spreading away and away from him in
enlarging circles； as the water ripples give way to a huge stone that
suddenly comes plashing in among them。 He saw them； of all aspects
and all shapes。 He saw them ugly； handsome； crippled； exquisitely
formed。 He saw them young； he saw them old； he saw them kind； he saw
them cruel； he saw them merry； he saw them grim； he saw them dance；
and heard them sing； he saw them tear their hair； and heard them howl。
He saw the air thick with them。 He saw them come and go； incessantly。
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He saw them riding downward； soaring upward； sailing off afar； perching
near at hand； all restless and all violently active。 Stone； and brick； and
slate； and tile； became transparent to him as to them。 He saw them IN the
houses； busy at the sleepers' beds。 He saw them soothing people in their
dreams； he saw them beating them with knotted whips； he saw them
yelling in their ears； he saw them playing softest music on their pillows；
he saw them cheering some with the songs of birds and the perfume of
flowers； he saw them flashing awful faces on the troubled rest of others；
from enchanted mirrors which they carried in their hands。
He saw these creatures； not only among sleeping men but waking also；
active in pursuits irreconcilable with one another； and possessing or
assuming natures the most opposite。 He saw one buckling on
innumerable wings to increase his speed； another loading himself with
chains and weights； to retard his。 He saw some putting the hands of
clocks forward； some putting the hands of clocks backward； some
endeavouring to stop the clock entirely。 He saw them representing； here
a marriage ceremony； there a funeral； in this chamber an election； in that a
ball he saw； everywhere； restless and untiring motion。
Bewildered by the host of shifting and extraordinary figures； as well as
by the uproar of the Bells； which all this while were ringing； Trotty clung
to a wooden pillar for support； and turned his white face here and there； in
mute and stunned astonishment。
As he gazed； the Chimes stopped。 Instantaneous change！ The
whole swarm fainted！ their forms collapsed； their speed deserted them；
they sought to fly； but in the act of falling died and melted into air。 No
fresh supply succeeded them。 One straggler leaped down pretty briskly
from the surface of the Great Bell； and alighted on his feet； but he was
dead and gone before he could turn round。 Some few of the late company
who had gambolled in the tower； remained there； spinning over and over a
little longer； but these became at every turn more faint； and few； and
feeble； and soon went the way of the rest。 The last of all was one small
hunchback； who had got into an echoing corner； where he twirled and
twirled； and floated by himself a long time； showing such perseverance；
that at last he dwindled to a leg and even to a foot； before he finally retired；
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but he vanished in the end； and then the tower was silent。
Then and not before； did Trotty see in every Bell a bearded figure of
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 p
