The bell-deep

THEBELL-DEEP故事

"DING-DONG!ding-dong!"Itsoundsupfromthe"bell-deep"intheOdense-Au.EverychildintheoldtownofOdense,ontheislandofFunen,knowstheAu,whichwashesthegardensroundaboutthetown,andflowsonunderthewoodenbridgesfromthedamtothewater-mill.IntheAugrowtheyellowwater-liliesandbrownfeatheryreeds;thedarkvelvetyflaggrowsthere,highandthick;oldanddecayedwillows,slantingandtottering,hangfaroutoverthestreambesidethemonk’smeadowandbythebleachingground;butoppositetherearegardensupongardens,eachdifferentfromtherest,somewithprettyflowersandbowerslikelittledolls’pleasuregrounds,oftendisplayingcabbageandotherkitchenplants;andhereandtherethegardenscannotbeseenatall,forthegreateldertreesthatspreadthemselvesoutbythebank,andhangfaroutoverthestreamingwaters,whicharedeeperhereandtherethananoarcanfathom.Oppositetheoldnunneryisthedeepestplace,whichiscalledthe"bell-deep,"andtheredwellstheoldwaterspirit,the"Au-mann."Thisspiritsleepsthroughthedaywhilethesunshinesdownuponthewater;butinstarryandmoonlitnightsheshowshimself.Heisveryold.
Grandmothersaysthatshehasheardherowngrandmothertellofhim;heissaidtoleadasolitarylife,andtohavenobodywithwhomhecanconversesavethegreatoldchurchBell.OncetheBellhunginthechurchtower;butnowthereisnotraceleftofthetowerorofthechurch,whichwascalledSt.Alban’s.
"Ding-dong!ding-dong!"soundedtheBell,whenthetowerstillstoodthere;andoneevening,whilethesunwassetting,andtheBellwasswingingawaybravely,itbrokelooseandcameflyingdownthroughtheair,thebrilliantmetalshiningintheruddybeam.
"Ding-dong!ding-dong!NowI’llretiretorest!"sangtheBell,andflewdownintotheOdense-Au,whereitisdeepest;andthatiswhytheplaceiscalledthe"bell-deep."ButtheBellgotneitherrestnorsleep.DownintheAu-mann’shauntitsoundsandrings,sothatthetonessometimespierceupwardthroughthewaters;andmanypeoplemaintainthatitsstrainsforebodethedeathofsomeone;butthatisnottrue,fortheBellisonlytalkingwiththeAu-mann,whoisnownolongeralone.
AndwhatistheBelltelling?Itisold,veryold,aswehavealreadyobserved;itwastherelongbeforegrandmother’sgrandmotherwasborn;andyetitisbutachildincomparisonwiththeAu-mann,whoisquiteanoldquietpersonage,anoddity,withhishoseofeel-skin,andhisscalyJacketwiththeyellowliliesforbuttons,andawreathofreedinhishairandseaweedinhisbeard;buthelooksveryprettyforallthat.
WhattheBelltells?Torepeatitallwouldrequireyearsanddays;foryearbyyearitistellingtheoldstories,sometimesshortones,sometimeslongones,accordingtoitswhim;ittellsofoldtimes,ofthedarkhardtimes,thus:"InthechurchofSt.Alban,themonkhadmountedupintothetower.Hewasyoungandhandsome,butthoughtfulexceedingly.HelookedthroughtheloopholeoutupontheOdense-Au,whenthebedofthewaterwasyetbroad,andthemonks’meadowwasstillalake.Helookedoutoverit,andovertherampart,andoverthenuns’hillopposite,wheretheconventlay,andthelightgleamedforthfromthenun’scell.Hehadknownthenunrightwell,andhethoughtofher,andhisheartbeatquickerashethought.Ding-dong!ding-dong!"Yes,thiswasthestorytheBelltold."Intothetowercamealsothedapperman-servantofthebishop;andwhenI,theBell,whoammadeofmetal,ranghardandloud,andswungtoandfro,Imighthavebeatenouthisbrains.Hesatdowncloseunderme,andplayedwithtwolittlesticksasiftheyhadbeenastringedinstrument;andhesangtoit.’NowImaysingitoutaloud,thoughatothertimesImaynotwhisperit.Imaysingofeverythingthatiskeptconcealedbehindlockandbars.Yonderitiscoldandwet.Theratsareeatingherupalive!Nobodyknowsofit!Nobodyhearsofit!Notevennow,forthebellisringingandsingingitsloudDing-dong,ding-dong!’
"TherewasaKinginthosedays.TheycalledhimCanute.Hebowedhimselfbeforebishopandmonk;butwhenheoffendedthefreepeasantswithheavytaxesandhardwords,theyseizedtheirweaponsandputhimtoflightlikeawildbeast.Hesoughtshelterinthechurch,andshutgateanddoorbehindhim.Theviolentbandsurroundedthechurch;Iheardtellofit.Thecrows,ravensandmagpiesstartedupinterrorattheyellingandshoutingthatsoundedaround.Theyflewintothetowerandoutagain,theylookeddownuponthethrongbelow,andtheyalsolookedintothewindowsofthechurch,andscreamedoutaloudwhattheysawthere.KingCanutekneltbeforethealtarinprayer;hisbrothersEricandBenedictstoodbyhimasaguardwithdrawnswords;buttheKing’sservant,thetreacherousBlake,betrayedhismaster.ThethronginfrontofthechurchknewwheretheycouldhittheKing,andoneofthemflungastonethroughapaneofglass,andtheKinglaytheredead!Thecriesandscreamsofthesavagehordeandofthebirdssoundedthroughtheair,andIjoinedinitalso;forIsang’Ding-dong!ding-dong!’"Thechurchbellhangshigh,andlooksfararound,andseesthebirdsaroundit,andunderstandstheirlanguage.Thewindroarsinuponitthroughwindowsandloopholes;andthewindknowseverything,forhegetsitfromtheair,whichencirclesallthings,andthechurchbellunderstandshistongue,andringsitoutintotheworld,’Ding-dong!ding-dong!’
"Butitwastoomuchformetohearandtoknow;Iwasnotableanylongertoringitout.Ibecamesotired,soheavy,thatthebeambroke,andIflewoutintothegleamingAu,wherethewaterisdeepest,andwheretheAu-mannlives,solitaryandalone;andyearbyyearItellhimwhatIhaveheardandwhatIknow.Ding-dong!ding-dong"Thusitsoundscomplaininglyoutofthebell-deepintheOdense-Au.Thatiswhatgrandmothertoldus.
Buttheschoolmastersaysthattherewasnotanybellthatrungdownthere,forthatitcouldnotdoso;andthatnoAu-manndweltyonder,fortherewasnoAu-mannatall!Andwhenalltheotherchurchbellsaresoundingsweetly,hesaysthatitisnotreallythebellsthataresounding,butthatitistheairitselfwhichsendsforththenotes;andgrandmothersaidtousthattheBellitselfsaiditwastheairwhotoldittohim,consequentlytheyareagreedonthatpoint,andthismuchissure.
"Becautious,cautious,andtakegoodheedtothyself,"theybothsay.Theairknowseverything.Itisaroundus,itisinus,ittalksofourthoughtsandofourdeeds,anditspeakslongerofthemthandoestheBelldowninthedepthsoftheOdense-AuwheretheAu-manndwells.Itringsitoutinthevaultofheaven,far,farout,foreverandever,tilltheheavenbellssound"Ding-dong!ding-dong!"

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