Excerpt from "paul revere's ride" by henry wadsworth longfellow paul revere was an express rider who, on april 18, 1775, was charged with delivering a message and alerting communities about the approaching british troops. it was one by the village clock, when he galloped into lexington. he saw the gilded weathercock swim in the moonlight as he passed, and the meeting-house windows, blank and bare, gaze at him with a spectral glare, as if they already stood aghast at the bloody work they would look upon. it was two by the village clock, when be came to the bridge in concord town. he heard the bleating of the flock, and the twitter of birds among the trees, and felt the breath of the morning breeze blowing over the meadows brown. and one was safe and asleep in his bed who at the bridge would be first to fall, who that day would be lying dead, pierced by a british musket-ball. which lines from this excerpt convey a sense of peace or calm in spite of impending danger? "it was two by the village clock, / when be came to the bridge in concord town." "as if they already stood aghast / at the bloody work they would look upon." "he heard the bleating of the flock, / and the twitter of birds among the trees, / and felt the breath of the morning breeze" "who at the bridge would be first to fall, / who that day would be lying dead, / pierced by a british musket-ball."