Fromthephotographandtheparticulars，itseemed，ashesaid，theverything，andItoldhim，\"Yes；senditupatonce。\"

　　Threedaysafterward，therecameaknockatthedoor——therehadbeenotherknocksatthedoorbeforethis，ofcourse；butIamdealingmerelywiththehistoryoftheclock。Thegirlsaidacoupleofmenwereoutside，andwantedtoseeme，andIwenttothem。

　　IfoundtheywerePickford\'scarriers，andglancingattheway-bill，I

　　sawthatitwasmyclockthattheyhadbrought，andIsaid，airily，\"Oh，yes，it\'squiteright；bringitup！\"

　　Theysaidtheywereverysorry，butthatwasjustthedifficulty。

　　Theycouldnotgetitup。

　　Iwentdownwiththem，andwedgedsecurelyacrossthesecondlandingofthestaircase，IfoundaboxwhichIshouldhavejudgedtobetheoriginalcaseinwhichCleopatra\'sNeedlecameover。

　　Theysaidthatwasmyclock。

　　Ibroughtdownachopperandacrowbar，andwesentoutandcollectedintwoextrahiredruffiansandthefiveofusworkedawayforhalfanhourandgottheclockout；afterwhichthetrafficupanddownthestaircasewasresumed，muchtothesatisfactionoftheothertenants。

　　Wethengottheclockupstairsandputittogether，andIfixeditinthecornerofthedining-room。

　　Atfirstitexhibitedastrongdesiretotoppleoverandfallonpeople，butbytheliberaluseofnailsandscrewsandbitsoffirewood，Imadelifeinthesameroomwithitpossible，andthen，beingexhausted，Ihadmywoundsdressed，andwenttobed。

　　Inthemiddleofthenightmywifewokemeupinagreatstateofalarm，tosaythattheclockhadjuststruckthirteen，andwhodidI

　　thinkwasgoingtodie？

　　IsaidIdidnotknow，buthopeditmightbethenext-doordog。

　　Mywifesaidshehadapresentimentitmeantbaby。Therewasnocomfortingher；shecriedherselftosleepagain。

　　Duringthecourseofthemorning，Isucceededinpersuadingherthatshemusthavemadeamistake，andsheconsentedtosmileoncemore。

　　Intheafternoontheclockstruckthirteenagain。

　　Thisrenewedallherfears。ShewasconvincednowthatbothbabyandIweredoomed，andthatshewouldbeleftachildlesswidow。Itriedtotreatthematterasajoke，andthisonlymadehermorewretched。

　　ShesaidthatshecouldseeIreallyfeltasshedid，andwasonlypretendingtobelight-heartedforhersake，andshesaidshewouldtryandbearitbravely。

　　ThepersonshechieflyblamedwasBuggles。

　　Inthenighttheclockgaveusanotherwarning，andmywifeaccepteditforherAuntMaria，andseemedresigned。Shewished，however，thatIhadneverhadtheclock，andwonderedwhen，ifever，Ishouldgetcuredofmyabsurdcrazeforfillingthehousewithtomfoolery。

　　Thenextdaytheclockstruckthirteenfourtimesandthischeeredherup。Shesaidthatifwewereallgoingtodie，itdidnotsomuchmatter。Mostlikelytherewasafeveroraplaguecoming，andweshouldallbetakentogether。

　　Shewasquitelight-heartedoverit！

　　Afterthattheclockwentonandkilledeveryfriendandrelationwehad，andthenitstartedontheneighbors。

　　Itstruckthirteenalldaylongformonths，untilweweresickofslaughter，andtherecouldnothavebeenahumanbeingleftaliveformilesaround。

　　Thenitturnedoveranewleaf，andgaveupmurderingfolks，andtooktostrikingmereharmlessthirty-ninesandforty-ones。Itsfavoritenumbernowisthirty-two，butonceadayitstrikesforty-nine。Itneverstrikesmorethanforty-nine。Idon\'tknowwhy——Ihaveneverbeenabletounderstandwhy——butitdoesn\'t。

　　Itdoesnotstrikeatregularintervals，butwhenitfeelsitwantstoandwouldbebetterforit。Sometimesitstrikesthreeorfourtimeswithinthesamehour，andatothertimesitwillgoforhalf-a-daywithoutstrikingatall。

　　Heisanoddoldfellow！

　　Ihavethoughtnowandthenofhavinghim\"seento，\"andmadetokeepregularhoursandberespectable；but，somehow，IseemtohavegrowntolovehimasheiswithhisdaringmockeryofTime。

　　Hecertainlyhasnotmuchrespectforit。Heseemstogooutofhiswayalmosttoopenlyinsultit。Hecallshalf-pasttwothirty-eighto\'clock，andintwentyminutesfromthenhesaysitisone！

　　Isitthathereallyhasgrowntofeelcontemptforhismaster，andwishestoshowit？Theysaynomanisaherotohisvalet；mayitbethatevenstony-faceTimehimselfisbutashort-lived，punymortal——alittlegreaterthansomeothers，thatisall——tothedimeyesofthisoldservantofhis？Hasbe，ticking，ticking，alltheseyears，comeatlasttoseeintothelittlenessofthatTimethatloomssogreattoourawedhumaneyes？

　　Ishesaying，ashegrimlylaughs，andstrikeshisthirty-fivesandforties：\"Bah！Iknowyou，Time，godlikeanddreadthoughyouseem。

　　Whatareyoubutaphantom——adream——liketherestofushere？Ay，less，foryouwillpassawayandbenomore。Fearhimnot，immortalmen。TimeisbuttheshadowoftheworlduponthebackgroundofEternity！\"