Chapter 49

DEATH.

1. And Peter Bell, when he had been With fresh-imported Hell-fire warmed, Grew serious--from his dress and mien 'Twas very plainly to be seen Peter was quite reformed. _5

2. His eyes turned up, his mouth turned down; His accent caught a nasal twang; He oiled his hair; there might be heard The grace of God in every word Which Peter said or sang. _10

3. But Peter now grew old, and had An ill no doctor could unravel: His torments almost drove him mad;-- Some said it was a fever bad-- Some swore it was the gravel. _15

4. His holy friends then came about, And with long preaching and persuasion Convinced the patient that, without The smallest shadow of a doubt, He was predestined to damnation. _20

5. They said--'Thy name is Peter Bell; Thy skin is of a brimstone hue; Alive or dead--ay, sick or well-- The one God made to rhyme with hell; The other, I think, rhymes with you. _25

6. Then Peter set up such a yell!-- The nurse, who with some water gruel Was climbing up the stairs, as well As her old legs could climb them--fell, And broke them both--the fall was cruel. _30

7. The Parson from the casement lept Into the lake of Windermere-- And many an eel--though no adept In God's right reason for it--kept Gnawing his kidneys half a year. _35

8. And all the rest rushed through the door And tumbled over one another, And broke their skulls.--Upon the floor Meanwhile sat Peter Bell, and swore, And cursed his father and his mother; _40

9. And raved of God, and sin, and death, Blaspheming like an infidel; And said, that with his clenched teeth He'd seize the earth from underneath, And drag it with him down to hell. _45

10. As he was speaking came a spasm, And wrenched his gnashing teeth asunder; Like one who sees a strange phantasm He lay,--there was a silent chasm Between his upper jaw and under. _50

11. And yellow death lay on his face; And a fixed smile that was not human Told, as I understand the case, That he was gone to the wrong place:-- I heard all this from the old woman. _55

12. Then there came down from Langdale Pike A cloud, with lightning, wind and hail; It swept over the mountains like An ocean,--and I heard it strike The woods and crags of Grasmere vale. _60

13. And I saw the black storm come Nearer, minute after minute; Its thunder made the cataracts dumb; With hiss, and clash, and hollow hum, It neared as if the Devil was in it. _65

14. The Devil WAS in it:--he had bought Peter for half-a-crown; and when The storm which bore him vanished, nought That in the house that storm had caught Was ever seen again. _70

15. The gaping neighbours came next day-- They found all vanished from the shore: The Bible, whence he used to pray, Half scorched under a hen-coop lay; Smashed glass--and nothing more! _75