itisold,veryold,aswehavealreadyobserved;itwastherelongbeforegrandmother'sgrandmotherwasborn;andyetitisbutachildincomparisonwiththeau-mann,whoisquiteanoldquietpersonage,anoddity,withhishoseofeel-skin,andhisscalyjacketwiththeyellowliliesforbuttons,andawreathofreedinhishairandseaweedinhisbeard;buthelooksveryprettyforallthat.

whatthebelltells?torepeatitallwouldrequireyearsanddays;foryearbyyearitistellingtheoldstories,sometimesshortones,sometimeslongones,accordingtoitswhim;ittellsofoldtimes,ofthedarkhardtimes,thus:

"inthechurchofst.alban,themonkhadmountedupintothetower.hewasyoungandhandsome,butthoughtfulexceedingly.helookedthroughtheloopholeoutupontheodense-au,whenthebedofthewaterwasyetbroad,andthemonks'meadowwasstillalake.helookedoutoverit,andovertherampart,andoverthenuns'hillopposite,wheretheconventlay,andthelightgleamedforthfromthenun'scell.hehadknownthenunrightwell,andhethoughtofher,andhisheartbeatquickerashethought.ding-dong!ding-dong!"

yes,thiswasthestorythebelltold.

"intothetowercamealsothedapperman-servantofthebishop;andwheni,thebell,whoammadeofmetal,ranghardandloud,andswungtoandfro,imighthavebeatenouthisbrains.hesatdowncloseunderme,andplayedwithtwolittlesticksasiftheyhadbeenastringedinstrument;andhesangtoit.'nowimaysingitoutaloud,thoughatothertimesimaynotwhisperit.imaysingofeverythingthatiskeptconcealedbehindlockandbars.yonderitiscoldandwet.theratsareeatingherupalive!nobodyknowsofit!nobodyhearsofit!notevennow,forthebellisringingandsingingitsloudding-dong,ding-dong!'

"therewasakinginthosedays.theycalledhimcanute.hebowedhimselfbeforebishopandmonk;butwhenheoffendedthefreepeasantswithheavytaxesandhardwords,theyseizedtheirweaponsandputhimtoflightlikeawildbeast.hesoughtshelterinthechurch,andshutgateanddoorbehindhim.theviolentbandsurroundedthechurch;iheardtellofit.thecrows,ravensandmagpiesstartedupinterrorattheyellingandshoutingthatsoundedaround.theyflewintothetowerandoutagain,theylookeddownuponthethrongbelow,andtheyalsolookedintothewindowsofthechurch,andscreamedoutaloudwhattheysawthere.kingcanutekneltbeforethealtarinprayer;hisbrothersericandbenedictstoodbyhimasaguardwithdrawnswords;buttheking'sservant,thetreacherousblake,betrayedhismaster.thethronginfrontofthechurchknewwheretheycouldhittheking,andoneofthemflungastonethroughapaneofglass,andthekinglaytheredead!thecriesandscreamsofthesavagehordeandofthebirdssoundedthroughtheair,andijoinedinitalso;forisang'ding-dong!ding-dong!'

"thechurchbellhangshigh,andlooksfararound,andseesthebirdsaroundit,andunderstandstheirlanguage.thewindroarsinuponitthroughwindowsandloopholes;andthewindknowseverything,forhegetsitfromtheair,whichencirclesallthings,andthechurchbellunderstandshistongue,andringsitoutintotheworld,'ding-dong!ding-dong!'

"butitwastoomuchformetohearandtoknow;iwasnotableanylongertoringitout.ibecamesotired,soheavy,thatthebeambroke,andiflewoutintothegleamingau,wherethewaterisdeepest,andwheretheau-mannlives,solitaryandalone;andyearbyyearitellhimwhatihaveheardandwhatiknow.ding-dong!