When Durin had completed the task before him, the wall clock was already pointing to one o'clock.
Mr. Casbin had earlier instructed his butler to deliver a handwritten letter to Durin's home and brought back Xialu's handprint—a signature substitute the girl stubbornly used since her youth, despite knowing how to write.
Elu, the aging bishop, had nonetheless paused to watch Durin finish all his work.
Nelson Thunderhammer once again picked up the Pickaxe, which he fitted to the handle, and then he looked towards Durin, as if seeking his opinion.
What opinion could Durin possibly have? "This was a collaboration with my friend Tony; it's to be a birthday present for his uncle."
So, with a smile, Nelson Thunderhammer passed the Pickaxe to Capian Silverpeak, who had heard the news and was qualified to be a spectator in the studio.
