The father was quite pleased with the proposal , because he thought : `` It will be a good discipline for the youth . '' And so the sexton took him into his house , and his duty was to toll the bell . After a few days he woke him at midnight , and bade him rise and climb into the tower and toll . `` Now , my friend , I 'll teach you to shudder , '' thought he . He stole forth secretly in front , and when the youth was up above , and had turned round to grasp the bell-rope , he saw , standing opposite the hole of the belfry , a white figure . `` Who 's there ? '' he called out , but the figure gave no answer , and neither stirred nor moved . `` Answer , '' cried the youth , `` or begone ; you have no business here at this hour of the night . '' But the sexton remained motionless , so that the youth might think that it was a ghost . The youth called out the second time : `` What do you want here ? Speak if you are an honest fellow , or I 'll knock you down the stairs . '' The sexton thought : `` He ca n't mean that in earnest , '' so gave forth no sound , and stood as though he were made of stone . Then the youth shouted out to him the third time , and as that too had no effect , he made a dash at the spectre and knocked it down the stairs , so that it fell about ten steps and remained lying in a corner . Thereupon he tolled the bell , went home to bed without saying a word , and fell asleep . The sexton 's wife waited a long time for her husband , but he never appeared . At last she became anxious , and woke the youth , and asked : `` Do n't you know where my husband is ? He went up to the tower in front of you . '' `` No , '' answered the youth ; `` but someone stood on the stairs up there just opposite the trap-door in the belfry , and because he would n't answer me , or go away , I took him for a rogue and knocked him down . You 'd better go and see if it was he ; I should be much distressed if it were . '' The wife ran and found her husband who was lying groaning in a corner , with his leg broken .
She carried him down , and then hurried with loud protestations XXXXX the youth 's father .
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