But when it came to trial workings, and exploiting the land in earnest, then suddenly they found themselves butting up against a wall—Geissler.

但是，当涉及到试运行和认真开发这片土地时，他们突然发现自己碰壁了——盖斯勒。

I tried to picture myself explaining to my parents what had happened, but found myself once again butting up against the vast wall of Agnes's secret.

我试着想象自己向父母解释发生的事情，但发现自己又一次撞上了艾格尼丝的秘密。

That is because its numbers are now butting up against America's debt ceiling—a device as manufactured as the clock itself, though one that presents a far graver danger.

这是因为它的数字现在正与美国的债务上限相抵触——这是一种与时钟本身一样制造的装置，尽管它带来的危险要严重得多。