Thus it was that we lunched together amid the books and birds, in an exquisite solitude a deux; for the ringer of the
silver bell had disappeared, having left a dainty meal in readiness--for two.
The dim light fell tenderly on the two quiet seated figures; on the little white bed, with the knots of rose-colored ribbon which looped up its curtains, and the bright dress for dinner laid ready across it; on the gayly painted bath, with its pure lining of white enamel; on the toilet-table with its sparkling trinkets, its crystal bottles, its
silver bell with Cupid for a handle, its litter of little luxuries that adorn the shrine of a woman's bed-chamber.
Death cannonized for us one saint, Ever less human than divine, And still we lay, with tender plaint, Relics in this household shrine-- The
silver bell, so seldom rung, The little cap which last she wore, The fair, dead Catherine that hung By angels borne above her door.
Tink, tink, tink--clear as a
silver bell, and audible at every pause of the streets' harsher noises, as though it said, 'I don't care; nothing puts me out; I am resolved to he happy.' Women scolded, children squalled, heavy carts went rumbling by, horrible cries proceeded from the lungs of hawkers; still it struck in again, no higher, no lower, no louder, no softer; not thrusting itself on people's notice a bit the more for having been outdone by louder sounds--tink, tink, tink, tink, tink.
Nanda rang a
silver bell, and at once a big fat colonel in a bright red uniform entered the room, followed by ten lean soldiers, who all looked sad and discouraged and saluted the princess in a very melancholy fashion.
'Con-TRARY!' said a voice as sweet as a
silver bell. 'That for the third time, you dunce!
At these words he took up a
silver bell, and rang it; the officer entered.
Her voice rang like a great
silver bell; her smile was many-toothed and frequent; she seemed like a yellow sunrise on mountain tops.
We had heard no step on that grass-grown track; the water running in the vale was the one lulling sound of the hour and scene; we might well then start when a gay voice, sweet as a
silver bell, exclaimed -
I mean it set her music going -- her
silver bell of a tongue.
HEAR the sledges with the bells -
Silver bells! What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
With
silver bells, and cockle shells, And marigolds all in a row."