原文
On Wednesday evening we went to the town hall. It was the last day of the year and a large crowd of people had gathered under the town hall clock. It would strike 12 in 20 minutes time, 15 minutes passed and then at 5 to 12 the clock stopped. The big minute hand did not move.
We waited and waited but nothing happened. Suddenly someone shouted. It's two minutes past 12. The clock has stopped.
I looked at my watch. It was true. The big clock refused to welcome the new year. At that moment everybody began to laugh and sing.