At length the dial instituted a formal inquiry as to the cause of the stagnation, when hands, wheels, weights, with one voice, protested their innocence.

最终，表盘实施正规盘查，以求查明老钟停止的缘由，与此同时，时针、齿轮以及刻度量衡异口同声地表明自己的无辜清白。