His self-control returned.

"What have they blown up ?" asked the man breathlessly.

"That was an explosion," and before Graham could speak he had hurried on.
The great buildings rose dimly, veiled by a perplexing twilight, albeit the rivulet of sky above was now bright with day.

He noted many strange features, understanding none at the time; he even spelt out many of the inscriptions in Phonetic lettering.

But what profit is it to decipher a confusion of odd-looking letters resolving itself, after painful strain of eye and mind, into "Here is Eadhamite," or, "Labour Bureau--Little Side"?
Grotesque thought, that all these cliff-like houses were his! The perversity of his experience came to him vividly.