India 2001 books

In spite of the speedy appearance of his townspeople, the Mayor
persisted in his operations on the bell-rope until the perspiration ran
down his face. He was sounding the tocsin, and he felt the importance
of what he was doing. Every one knew that a tocsin bell to be duly rung,
should be rung long and loud--not with a little merry jingle, such as
befitted the announcement of a wedding, but in a manner to strike
astonishment, if not alarm, into its hearers; and on this occasion great
justice was done to the tocsin.
"That will do, M. Mayor; that will do, I think!" said the Cure, "it
looks to me as though our friends were all here."
The Mayor gave an awful pull, the bell leapt wildly up, gave one loud
concluding flourish, and then was quiet.
"Now, M. Mayor," said the Cure, "you have by heart the few words I gave
you, have you not?"
"Indeed, Father Jerome, I have," said the Mayor, "and am not likely to
forget them. Let me see--let me see. Now, my friends, will you be quiet
a moment while I speak to you.


Pages:
138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162