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Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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Barnaby Rudge 29
by keen enjoyment of the tobacco and strong pulling at the pipe；
and afterwards with increasing distinctness：
‘—Bringing with him two women servants； and his steward；
and a gardener。 The rest stopped behind up in London； and were
to follow next day。 It happened that that night； an old gentleman
who lived at Chigwell Row； and had long been poorly； deceased；
and an order came to me at half after twelve o’clock at night to go
and toll the passing…bell。’
There was a movement in the little group of listeners；
sufficiently indicative of the strong repugnance any one of them
would have felt to have turned out at such a time upon such an
errand。 The clerk felt and understood it； and pursued his theme
accordingly。
‘It was a dreary thing； especially as the grave…digger was laid up
in his bed； from long working in a damp soil and sitting down to
take his dinner on cold tombstones； and I was consequently under
obligation to go alone； for it was too late to hope to get any other
companion。 However； I wasn’t unprepared for it； as the old
gentleman had often made it a request that the bell should be
tolled as soon as possible after the breath was out of his body； and
he had been expected to go for some days。 I put as good a face
upon it as I could； and muffling myself up （for it was mortal cold）；
started out with a lighted lantern in one hand and the key of the
church in the other。’
At this point of the narrative； the dress of the strange man
rustled as if he had turned himself to hear more distinctly。 Slightly
pointing over his shoulder； Solomon elevated his eyebrows and
nodded a silent inquiry to Joe whether this was the case。 Joe
shaded his eyes with his hand and peered into the corner； but
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Barnaby Rudge 30
could make out nothing； and so shook his head。
‘It was just such a night as this； blowing a hurricane； raining
heavily； and very dark—I often think now； darker than I ever saw
it before or since； that may be my fancy； but the houses were all
close shut and the folks in doors； and perhaps there is only one
other man who knows how dark it really was。 I got into the
church； chained the door back so that it should keep ajar—for； to
tell the truth； I didn’t like to be shut in there alone—and putting
my lantern on the stone seat in the little corner where the bell…
rope is； sat down beside it to trim the candle。
‘I sat down to trim the candle； and when I had done so I could
not persuade myself to get up again； and go about my work。 I don’t
know how it was； but I thought of all the ghost stories I had ever
heard； even those that I had heard when I was a boy at school； and
had forgotten long ago； and they didn’t come into my mind one
after another； but all crowding at once； like。 I recollected one story
there was in the village； how that on a certain night in the year （it
might be that very night for anything I knew）； all the dead people
came out of the ground and sat at the heads of their own graves till
morning。 This made me think how many people I had known；
were buried between the church…door and the churchyard gate；
and what a dreadful thing it would be to have to pass among them
and know them again； so earthy and unlike themselves。 I had
known all the niches and arches in the church from a child； still； I
couldn’t persuade myself that those were their natural shadows
which I saw on the pavement； but felt sure there were some ugly
figures hiding among ’em and peeping out。 Thinking on in this
way； I began to think of the old gentleman who was just dead； and
I could have sworn； as I looked up the dark chancel； that I saw him
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Barnaby Rudge 31
in his usual place； wrapping his shroud about him and shivering as
if he felt it cold。 All this time I sat listening and listening； and
hardly dared to breathe。 At length I started up and took the bell…
rope in my hands。 At that minute there rang—not that bell； for I
had hardly touched the rope—but another！
‘I heard the ringing of another bell； and a deep bell too； plainly。
It was only for an instant； and even then the wind carried the
sound away； but I heard it。 I listened for a long time； but it rang no
more。 I had heard of corpse candles； and at last I persuaded myself
that this must be a corpse bell tolling of itself at midnight for the
dead。 I tolled my bell—how； or how long； I don’t know—and ran
home to bed as fast as I could touch the ground。
‘I was up early next morning after a restless night； and told the
story to my neighbours。 Some were serious and some made light
of it； I don’t think anybody believed it real。 But； that morning； Mr
Reuben Haredale was found murdered in his bedchamber； and in
his hand was a piece of the cord attached to an alarm…bell outside
the roof； which hung in his room and had been cut asunder； no
doubt by the murderer； when he seized it。
‘That was the bell I heard。
‘A bureau was found opened； and a cash…box； which Mr
Haredale had brought down that day； and was supposed to
contain a large sum of money； was gone。 The steward and
gardener were both missing and both suspected for a long time；
but they were never found； though hunted far and wide。 And far
enough they might have looked for poor Mr Rudge the steward；
whose body—scarcely to be recognised by his clothes and the
watch and ring he wore—was found； months afterwards； at the
bottom of a piece of water in the grounds； with a deep gash in the
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Barnaby