Its pendulum swung swing to and fro with a dull , heavy , monotonous clang clang ; and when the minute-hand made make the circuit of the face , and the hour was to be stricken , there came from the brazen lungs of the clock a sound sound which was clear and loud and deep and exceedingly musical , but of so peculiar a note and emphasis that , at each lapse of an hour , the musicians of the orchestra were constrained constrain to pause pause , momentarily , in their performance performance , to harken harken to the sound sound ; and thus the waltzers perforce ceased cease their evolutions evolution ; and there was a brief disconcert disconcert of the whole gay company ; and , while the chimes of the clock yet rang rang , it was observed observe that the giddiest grew pale pale , and the more aged and sedate passed pass their hands over their brows as if in confused revery or meditation .

But when the echoes echo had fully ceased cease , a light laughter laughter at once pervaded the assembly ; the musicians looked look at each other and smiled smile as if at their own nervousness and folly , and made whispering vows vow , each to the other , that the next chiming of the clock should produce in them no similar emotion ; and then , after the lapse of sixty minutes , ( which embrace three thousand and six hundred seconds of the Time that flies , ) there came yet another chiming chime of the clock , and then were the same disconcert disconcert and tremulousness tremulousness and meditation meditation as before .