"Quite well, sir, I thank you," he answered. "A day like this does a man
good. But," he added, and his countenance fell, "the heart knoweth its own
bitterness."

"It may know it too much," I returned, "just because it refuses to let a
stranger intermeddle therewith."

He made no reply. I turned the key in the great lock, and the iron-studded
oak opened and let us into the solemn gloom.

It did not require many minutes to make the man understand what I wanted of
him.

"We must begin at the bells and work down," he said.

So we went up into the tower, where, with the help of a candle I fetched
for him from the cottage, he made a good many minute measurements; found
that carpenter's work was necessary for the adjustment of the hammers and
cranks and the leading of the rods, undertook the management of the whole,
and in the course of an hour and a half went home to do what had to be done
before any fixing could be commenced, assuring me that he had no doubt of
bringing the job to a satisfactory conclusion, although the force of
the blow on the bell would doubtless have to be regulated afterwards by
repeated trials.

"In a fortnight, I hope you will be able to play a tune to the parish,
sir," he added, as he took his leave.

I resolved, if possible, to know more of the man, and find out his trouble,
if haply I might be able to give him any comfort, for I was all but certain