They could not get it up.
I went down with them, and wedged securely across the second landing
of the staircase, I found a box which I should have judged to be the
original case in which Cleopatra's Needle came over.
They said that was my clock.
I brought down a chopper and a crowbar, and we sent out and collected
in two extra hired ruffians and the five of us worked away for half an
hour and got the clock out; after which the traffic up and down the
staircase was resumed, much to the satisfaction of the other tenants.
We then got the clock upstairs and put it together, and I fixed it in
the corner of the dining-room.
At first it exhibited a strong desire to topple over and fall on
people, but by the liberal use of nails and screws and bits of
firewood, I made life in the same room with it possible, and then,
being exhausted, I had my wounds dressed, and went to bed.
In the middle of the night my wife woke me up in a great state of
alarm, to say that the clock had just struck thirteen, and who did I
think was going to die?
I said I did not know, but hoped it might be the next-door dog.
My wife said she had a presentiment it meant baby.
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