Thegoodpeopleoftheboroughhadscarcelyachance，however，togettheireyesthoroughlyopen，when，justasitwantedhalfaminuteofnoon，therascalbounced，asIsay，rightintothemidstofthem；
gaveachassezhere，andabalancezthere；andthen，afterapirouetteandapas-de-zephyr，pigeon-wingedhimselfrightupintothebelfryoftheHouseoftheTownCouncil，wherethewonder-strickenbelfry-mansatsmokinginastateofdignityanddismay。Butthelittlechapseizedhimatoncebythenose；gaveitaswingandapull；clappedthebigchapeaude-brasuponhishead；
knockeditdownoverhiseyesandmouth；andthen，liftingupthebigfiddle，beathimwithitsolongandsosoundly，thatwhatwiththebelfry-manbeingsofat，andthefiddlebeingsohollow，youwouldhaveswornthattherewasaregimentofdouble-bassdrummersallbeatingthedevil’stattooupinthebelfryofthesteepleofVondervotteimittiss。
Thereisnoknowingtowhatdesperateactofvengeancethisunprincipledattackmighthavearousedtheinhabitants，butfortheimportantfactthatitnowwantedonlyhalfasecondofnoon。Thebellwasabouttostrike，anditwasamatterofabsoluteandpre-eminentnecessitythateverybodyshouldlookwellathiswatch。
Itwasevident，however，thatjustatthismomentthefellowinthesteeplewasdoingsomethingthathehadnobusinesstodowiththeclock。Butasitnowbegantostrike，nobodyhadanytimetoattendtohismanoeuvres，fortheyhadalltocountthestrokesofthebellasitsounded。