He watched the city and the winding river, the bridges, and the imminent Alps.

He was on the south side.

On the other side of the time barrier.

His old, sleepy English nature was startled in its sleep.

He felt like a man who knows it is time to wake up, and who doesn't want to wake up, to face the responsibility of another sort of day.
To open his darkest eyes and wake up to a new responsibility.