A strange melody, foreign to earth, was slowly and mournfully born and died out up in the heights.

It was born again; deceiving the ear, it rang plaintively and softly--it broke off--and rang again.

Like large, transparent, glassy drops, hours and minutes descended from an unknown height into a metallic, softly resounding bell.
This was the only sound that reached the cells, by day and night, where the condemned remained in solitary confinement.

Through the roof, through the thickness of the stone walls, it penetrated, stirring the silence--it passed unnoticed, to return again, also unnoticed.

Sometimes they awaited it in despair, living from one sound to the next, trusting the silence no longer.