D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 146: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Phantom Bell. 135 way, for ‘he was sniffing the odor of Quaqua’s fleshpots, despite his recent repast. “Vespers,” said Jacinta. “Vespers, without a church—a bell without a belfry ?” said D’Artagnan, who took nothing for granted. “Where is there a bell about here? There is no large ship, car- rying a priest! These fishing craft use horns, like hunts- men, or wooden clappers, like the Moorish priests. There is no——” “But it is a bell, and dolefully tolling, too,” persisted the duchess, shivering as the breeze came off the sea. “Get the ladies indoors, please, you, master,” said the | oldest footman. “It is a bad sign when a bell rings off on the ocean without being struck by human hands!” he crossed himself. “Idiot! there is no bell!” “Then a phantom bell is still worse omen!” “T know the cove better than my inn itself!” Nevertheless, the metallic stroke sounded again, and yet again, regular enough to suggest human impetus or human set mechanism. “That,” said Porthos, to obtain recognition of his science from the ladies, “that is a bell buoy. I have heard of them!” “A bell mule!” returned his friend, tartly. “I reiterate to you that there is no bell for leagues around.”’ “Stay,” said Jacinta, with unusual desire to prevent a difference, “why may not some portions of a wreck be wafted ashore to which a bell was attached, and’ some poor wretch, much as was the case with your lordship, be appealing for help by striking those mournful notes ?” “There is something in that,” quickly said the duchess. “There’s much in that!’ agreed Porthos, wishing the suggestion had entered his mind. There could not be a doubt now that the sound was continuous and from one fixed spot. “Tt is where a rock juts out of the water. Tihe Tur- ban, or Moor’s head,” said D’Artagnan, yielding. “It is not a man, I guess. Just a spar caught at one end and swinging about at random so as to beat that devil’s tattoo on a cresset, stuck by a pole in the rocky pile.” and | GOmMIiGcboo cS (EO) im