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！\"
