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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。 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； 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。
'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 poor man；' faltered Trotty； 'and could only thank them in
words。'
'And always so？' inquired the Goblin of the Bell。 'Have you never
done us wrong in words？'
'No！' cried Trotty eagerly。
'Never done us foul； and false； and wicked wrong； in words？'
pursued the Goblin of the Bell。
Trotty was about to answer； 'Never！' But he stopped； and was
confused。
'The voice of Time；' said the Phantom； 'cries to man； Advance！
Time is for his advancement and improvement； for his greater worth；
his greater happiness； his better life； his progress onward to that
goal within its knowledge and its view； and set there； in the
period when Time and He began。 Ages of darkness； wickedness； and
violence； have come and gone … millions uncountable； have suffered；