"Where was it ?" I cried, looking behind me.
"Close to us.

Near the Louvre," he answered, listening intently.

"See! See! Ah, heavens!" he continued in a voice of despair, "it was a signal!" It was.

One, two, three! Before I could count so far, lights sprang into brightness in the windows of nine out of ten houses in the short street where we stood, as if lighted by a single hand.

Before too I could count as many more, or ask him what this meant, before indeed, we could speak or stir from the spot, or think what we should do, with a hurried clang and clash, as if brought into motion by furious frenzied hands, a great bell just above our heads began to boom and whirr! It hurled its notes into space, it suddenly filled all the silence.