ten
minutes past eight
The pellets tasted sweet , and yet a little acrid . He crushed them in his mouth and swallowed them hastily . In the silence of the room , the ticking of his watch suddenly sounded very loud . He raised his arm and looked at its face ; it was just ten minutes past eight . He continued to stare at its dial , wondering why nothing was happening to him . Then all at once the figures on the watch became very sharp and vivid ; he could see them with microscopic clearness . A buzzing sounded in his ears .