"I understood you to say, also, that your watch had stopped.

Was that a joke ?" "No such luck!" The doctor took out his watch and shook it.

"Mainspring gone, I'm afraid!" "A month ago," said the professor, "if your watch had stopped you would have had a fit." "Really! Was I ever such an ass?
Well, I'm not the slave of my watch any longer.

Time goes softly in Coombe.

Aren't you glad I'm not taking a fit ?" "I am glad.