ed by a fierce whiz, as
of the sudden snapping of a main-spring, with a steely din, as if a
stack of sword-blades should be dashed upon a pavement, these blended
sounds came ringing to the plain, attracting every eye far upward to the
belfry, whence, through the lattice-work, thin wreaths of smoke were
curling.

Some averred that it was the spaniel, gone mad by fear, which was shot.
This, others denied. True it was, the spaniel never more was seen; and,
probably, for some unknown reason, it shared the burial now to be
related of the domino. For, whatever the preceding circumstances may
have been, the first instinctive panic over, or else all ground of
reasonable fear removed, the two magistrates, by themselves, quickly
rehooded the figure in the dropped cloak wherein it had been hoisted.
The same night, it was secretly lowered to the ground, smuggled to the
beach, pulled far out to sea, and sunk. Nor to any after urgency, even
in free convivial hours, would the twain ever disclose the full secrets
of the belfry.

From the mystery unavoidably investing it, the popular solution of the
foundling's fate involved more or less of supernatural agency. But some
few less unscientific minds pretended to find little difficulty in
otherwise accounting for it. In the chain of circumstantial inferences
drawn, there may, or may not, have been some absent or defective links.
But, as the explanation in question is the only one which tradition has
explicitly preserved, in dearth of better, it will here be given. But,
in the first place, it is requisite to present the supposition
entertained as to the entire motive and mode, with their origin, of the
secret design of Bannadonna; the minds above-mentioned assuming to
penetrate as well into his soul as into the event. The disclosure will
indirectly involve reference to peculiar matters, none of, the clearest,
beyond the immediate subject.

At that period, no large bell was made to sound otherwise than as at
present, by agitation of a tongue within, by means of ropes, or
percussion from without, either from cumbrous machinery, or stalwart
watchmen, armed with heavy hammers, stationed in the belfry, or in
sentry-boxes on the open roof, according as the bell was sheltered or
exposed.

It was from observing these exposed bells, with their watchmen, that the
foundling, as was opined, derived the first suggestion of his scheme.
Perched on a great mast or spire, the human figure, viewed from