I seized the bell-rope; dropped it, ashamed; seized it again; dropped it once more; clutched it trembling once again, and pulled it so feebly that I could hardly hear the stroke myself.

knowing the definition of the bolded word helps you understand...

A.) that the speaker has a reputation for being lazy
B.) that the speaker is very determined to solve the problem
C.) that the speaker is very nervous
D.) that the speaker is very physically strong