Iseized 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 you

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