The spire, being built upon a deeper bed
because of its weight, stood longer than the rest of the fabric, but
presently it went also.
Thrice it seemed to bow towards them, then it fell like a child's
castle. Reckoning its height with his eye, Thomas saw that it could not
reach them where they stood, and so did the others, therefore no one
stirred. As the tower collapsed the clock sounded the first stroke of
the hour, then suddenly became silent for ever and vanished beneath the
waters, a mass of broken metal.
But the bell on which it had struck was hurled forward by the sway of
the fall like a stone from a sling. It sped towards them through the
air, a great dark object. Men ran this way and that, so that it fell
upon the rock where none stood. It fell; it flew to pieces like an
exploding shell, and its fragments hurtled over them with a screaming
sound. Yet as it chanced the tongue or clapper of it took a lower
course, perhaps because it was heavier, and rushing onwards like a
thrown spear, struck Menzi full upon the chest, crushing in his breast
bone.
They bore him up to the mission-house, since there was nowhere else
whither he could be taken. Here they laid him on a bed, leaving the
woman, Ivana, to watch him, for they had no skill to deal with such
injuries as his.
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