9 A Cold Welcome

A cold welcome

冷遇

On Wednesday evening, we went to the Town Hall.

星期三的晚上,我们去了市政厅。

It was the last day of the year and a large crowd of people had gathered under the Town Hall clock.

那是一年的最后一天,一大群人聚集在市政厅的大钟下面。

It would strike twelve in twenty minutes’ time.

再过20分钟,大钟将敲响12下。

Fifteen minutes passed and then, at five to twelve, the clock stopped.

15分钟过去了,而就在11点55分时,大钟停了。

The big minute hand did not move.

那根巨大的分针不动了。