The Chimes / A Goblin Story of Some Bells That Rang an Old Year out and a New Year In

the swarm of phantoms reproduced and reproduced until the recollection of them lost itself in the confusion of their numbers; some hurried knowledge,

han in most others, the table had seen service very lately. But all the cups and saucers being clean, and in their proper places in the corner-cupboard; and the brass toasting-fork hanging in its usual nook and spreading its four idle fingers out as if it

ng at the glowing sparks that dropped into the grate; now nodding off into a doze; now waking up again

matches, bacon, table-beer, peg-tops, sweetmeats, boys' kites, bird-seed, cold ham, birch brooms, hearth-stones, salt, vinegar, blacking, red-herrings, stationery, lard, mushroom-ketchup, staylaces, loaves of bread, shuttlecocks, eggs, and slate pencil; everything was fish that came to the net of this greedy little shop, and all articles were in its net. How many other kinds of petty merchandise were there, it wou

ough its plethora sat heavy on their lungs; and glancing, then, at one of the two faces by the parlour-fire; Trotty had small difficulty in recognising in the stout old lady, Mr

enerally termed The Snuffles; the short thick throat and labouring chest, with other beauties of the like description; though calculated to impress the memory, Trotty could at first allot to nobody he had ever known: and yet he had some recollection of them too. At length, in Mrs. Chickenstalker's partner in the general line, and in t

re the accounts of credit customers were usually kept in chalk. There was no record of his name. Some names were there, but they were strange to him, and infinitely fewer than of

promise of his blighted child, that it was a sorrow to h

hing out his legs before the fire, and rubbing as much of them as his short arms could reac

eturned his wife; 'and threate

tone of one who had set his conscience at rest. 'It's a sort of n

up his good actions. After which he rubbed his fat legs as before, and jerking them at the

, Tugby, my dear,'

Tugby, late C

rticular. I'm a little elewat

hat his fat legs took the strangest excursions into the air. Nor were they reduced to anything like dec

bless and save the man!' cried Mrs. Tug

faintly repeated that he fou

' said Mrs. Tugby, 'if you don't want to frighten

any judgment might be founded on the constantly-increasing shortness of his bre

, and very cold, is it, my dear?' said Mr. Tugby, looking at the fi

d,' returned his wi

f 'em die hard; some of 'em die easy. This one hasn't many days to run, and is

tling door, Mrs. Tug

e little shop. 'What's wanted? Oh! I beg your p

ucked up, and his hat cocked loungingly on one side, and his hands in his

airs, Mrs. Tugby,' said the g

ried Tugby, coming out into t

ntleman, 'is coming down-stairs fast, an

he barrel with his knuckles for the depth of beer, a

entleman: Tugby having stood in silent

to his wife, 'he must Go,

ead. 'I wouldn't take the responsibility of saying it could be done

by weighing his fist on it, 'that we've ever had a word upon; she and me; and look what it comes

he have died, Tugb

e returned. 'What are

own as Mrs. Chickenstalker's far and wide, and never known but to its honest credit and its good report: when my widow's name stood over that door, Tugby, I knew him as a handsome, steady, manly, independent youth; I knew her as the sweetest-looking, sweetest-tempered girl, eyes ever saw; I knew her f

of her as she said these words; and when she dried her eyes, and shook her head and her handkerchief at Tugby, with

t, for what should follow. Knowing no

in the shop, where he now stood staring at his wife, without attempting a reply; secretly conveying, however-either in

y, to little differences of opinion between man and wife, to interpose any remark in this instance. He sat softly whistling, and turning little d

g about the woman, even now.

at he might do better, and that he'd soon repent it, and that she wasn't good enough for him, and that a young man of spirit had no business to be married. And the gentlemen frightened her, and made her melancholy, and timid of his deserting her, and of her children coming to the gallows, and of its being wicked to be man and wife, and a good deal more of it. And in

ulling out the vent-peg of the table-beer, and try

ing uncertain too, how she might take it, he'd have gone through any suffering or trial to have had Meg's promise and Meg's hand again. That's my belief. He never said so; more's the pity! He took to drinking, i

turned the gentleman, 'because he gained a

him; and doors were shut upon him, go where he would. Applying from place to place, and door to door; and coming for the hundredth time to one gentleman who had often and often tried him (he was a good workman to the very end); that gentlema

the gentlem

her; said it was so; said it ever had bee

distress yours

ve of the light-hearted girl (you remember her) who was to have been married on a New Year's Day; and for the love of her Richard." And she said he had come to her from Lilian, and Lilian had trusted to him, and she never could forget that. So

the cask, and stretc

her ill, as soon as

n his illness came so strong upon him. I think he has always felt for her. I am sure he has. I have seen him, in his crying fits and tremblings, try to kiss her hand; and I have heard him call her "Meg," and say it was her nineteenth birthday.

nd round the shop, and at his wife; and rolling his

entation-from the upper story of the house

n't discuss whether he shall be removed or no

sure: being rendered more than commonly short-winded by the weight of the till, in which there had been an

tly voices in the Bells repeat their words as he ascend

, weeping by the bed, if it deserved that name, and pressing to her breast, and hanging down her hea

ng up his folded hands. 'O, God

no moment in the Filer sums-mere scratches in the working of these calculations-laid his hand upon the heart that beat no more, and listened

t fight up. What would have become of me if I had given way when I was porter, and we had as many as six runa

urned towards his guide, and saw it rising from him, pas

ly old, so dreadful in its gravity, so plaintive in its feeble, mournful, miserable wail. He almost worshipped it. He clung to it as her only safeguard; as the last unbroken link that bound her to

the time go by; the house of death relieved of death; the room left to herself and to the child; he heard it moan and cry; he saw it harass her, and tire her out, and when she slumbered in exhaustion, drag her back to consciousness, and

lying in her lap, and looking up in hers, did any work for any wretched sum; a day and night of labour for as many farthings as there were figures on the dial. If she had quarrel

y friend: for any help she received from her hands, occasioned fresh disputes between the good woman and

ore and more. But a change fell on

and walking to and fro to hush it, when her

last time

iam F

he las

man pursued: and

uldn't finish it, without a parting wo

?' she asked: regar

her, but ga

with his hand, as if he set her questio

as. We little thought, then,' he added, looking round, 'that we should ever meet l

and took it. And he trembled as

t a g

es

nd before its

courage to look at it! Let her be, a moment. I wo

she answer

e more freely; and after pausing for an instant, took away his hand,

nd gave her back the c

lia

my arms when Lilian's m

died and left her!'

Why do you fix your eye

embrace, to look anxiously in its face: then strained it to her bosom again. At those times, when she gazed upon it,

h the house. 'Learn it, from the

nk you for the last time. Good night. Good bye! Put your hand in mine, and tel

ou done?' sh

if you do, remember what a Hell was lighted up inside of me, and think you see its flames reflected in the clouds. Good night. Good bye!' She called to him; but he was gone. She sat down stupefied, until her infant roused her to a sense of hunger, cold, and darkn

y. 'It is Love. She'll never

such squalid robes!-and once more tried to find some means of life. It was the last d

to call them in, and question them, and say to this one, 'Go to such a place,' to that one, 'Come next week;' to make a football of another wretch, and pass him here and there, from hand to

d to have it lying on her brea

her home. She was so faint and giddy, that she saw no one standing in the doorway until she was close upon it, and about to enter. Then

oftly. 'You ha

the child, and

any rent? Don't you think that, without any money, you've been

d the same

. 'And suppose you provide yourself with another l

oice, that it was v

elight in setting 'em by the ears. I don't want any quarrels; I'm speaking softly to avoid a quarrel; but if you don't go aw

and looked in a sudden manner at th

aid Tugby, who was quite a retail Friend and Father. 'I wonder you an't ashamed of yourself, to carry such practices into a New Year. If you haven't any

er! To de

, he saw the figures hovering in the air, and

in agonised entreaty for her

swept upon the track sh

same fierce and terrible expression mingling with her love, and kindling in her eyes

or scent, to call up tender recollections in a brain on f

out his hands to the dark shadows flying on above. 'Have mercy on

it. The air was made of breath expended in those words. He seemed to take them in, at every gasp he drew. They were everywhere, and not to be escaped

, tearing his white hair. 'My child! Meg! T

composed its face, arranged its mean attire. In her wasted arms she folded it, as though she never

r dress, next to her distracted heart, she set its sleeping face agai

efuge there before her. Where scattered lights upon the banks gleamed sullen, red, and dull, as torches that were burning t

g to the sea. He tried to touch her as she passed him, going down to its dark level: but, the wild distempered form, t

e dreadful plunge. He fell down on his knees, and in a shrie

man. 'From the creature dearest to

it! As the words escaped his lips, he felt his se

ked down steadf

so young and good, I slandered Nature in the breasts of mothers rendered desperate! Pity my presum

nk what her misery must have been, when such seed bears such fruit! Heaven meant her to be good. There is no loving mother on the earth who might not come to this, i

held her now. His stre

there is a sea of Time to rise one day, before which all who wrong us or oppress us will be swept away like leaves. I see it, on the flow! I know that we must trust and hope, and neither doubt ourselves, nor doubt the good

teady friends, the Chimes, began to ring the joy-peals for a New Year: so lustily, so merr

gain, without asking some doctor whether it's likely to agr

bbons for her wedding. So quietly happy, so blooming and youthful, so full of beautiful promise, t

er, which had fallen on the hearth; an

. The first kiss of Meg in the New Year is mine. Mine! I have been waiting outside the house, this hour, to

smothered he

ghed; he sat down in his chair and beat his knees and laughed and cried together; he got out of his chair and hugged Meg; he got out of his chair and hugged Richard; he got out of his chair and hugged them both at once; he kept running up to Meg, and squeezing her fresh face between his han

-day, my pet!' cried Trotty.

ds with him. 'To-day. The Chimes are

s as they were; melodious, deep-mouthed, noble Bells; cast in no common met

id Trotty. 'You and Richa

a headstrong, violent man! He'd have made no more of speaking his mind to tha

suggested Richar

'But I wouldn't let him, father.

; and Trumps you must be, till you die! But, you were crying by the

together, father. Only that. And thinkin

hair again, when the child, who had been awake

we go again! And here we are and here we go! and Uncle Will too!' Stopping in his trot to greet him heartily. 'O, Uncle Will, the visio

neighbours, screaming 'A Happy New Year, Meg!' 'A Happy Wedding!' 'Many of 'em!' and other fragmentary

knows you that don't wish you well, or that knows her and don't wish her well. Or that knows you both, and don't w

l shout. The Drum was rather dru

be so esteemed! How kind and neighbourly you are! I

nation of prodigious sounds was heard outside, and a good-humoured comely woman of some fifty years of age, or thereabouts, came running in, attended by a man be

ickenstalker!' And sat dow

without coming to wish you joy. I couldn't have done it, Meg. Not if I had been bed-ridden. So here I am; and as

o her character. The pitcher steamed and smoked and reeked

, Chickenstalker-Bless your heart and soul! A Happy New Year, and many of 'em! Mrs. Tugby,' sai

is surprise, turned v

se mother died in Do

r; of which the upshot was, that Mrs. Chickenstalker shook him by both hands; saluted Tr

on his right-hand muffler. 'Not

Trotty's shoulders. 'And like to prove a'most a

e to play up there. Will

were yet in lusty operation out of doors; Trotty, making Meg and Richard, second couple, led off Mrs. Chick

in mind the stern realities from which these shadows come; and in your sphere-none is too wide, and none too limited for such an end-endeavour to correct, improve, and soften them. So may the New Year be a happy one to you