Which sentence in this excerpt from the time machine by h. g. wells indicates that the narrator has little hope for the time traveller’s return?
i felt an unreasonable amazement. i knew that something strange had happened, and for the moment could not distinguish what the strange thing might be. as i stood staring, the door into the garden opened, and the man-servant appeared.we looked at each other. then ideas began to come. "has mr. —— gone out that way? " said i."no, sir. no one has come out this way. i was expecting to find him here."at that i understood. at the risk of disappointing richardson i stayed on, waiting for the time traveller; waiting for the second, perhaps still stranger story, and the specimens and photographs he would bring with him. but i am beginning now to fear that i must wait a lifetime. the time traveller vanished three years ago. and, as everybody knows now, he has never returned.a- i knew that something strange had happened, and for the moment could not distinguish what the strange thing might be.
b-we looked at each other. then ideas began to come.c-at the risk of disappointing richardson i stayed on, waiting for the time traveller; waiting for the second, perhaps still stranger story, and the specimens and photographs he would bring with him.d- but i am beginning now to fear that i must wait a lifetimee-the time traveller vanished three years ago.