Close behind, in
the most radiant toilet, followed the bridegroom, halting on a
gouty foot; and as he passed the threshold of the sacred building
and doffed his hat, his bald head was seen to be rosy with emotion.
And now came the hour of Ellis Duckworth.
Dick, who sat stunned among contrary emotions, grasping the desk in
front of him, beheld a movement in the crowd, people jostling
backward, and eyes and arms uplifted. Following these signs, he
beheld three or four men with bent bows leaning from the clerestory
gallery. At the same instant they delivered their discharge, and
before the clamour and cries of the astounded populace had time to
swell fully upon the ear, they had flitted from their perch and
disappeared.
The nave was full of swaying heads and voices screaming; the
ecclesiastics thronged in terror from their places; the music
ceased, and though the bells overhead continued for some seconds to
clang upon the air, some wind of the disaster seemed to find its
way at last even to the chamber where the ringers were leaping on
their ropes, and they also desisted from their merry labours.
Pages:
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305