seven yearsseven years martin , if my machine does not work , if those other dimensions do not existthen its me that is going to wish that none of this is real and that all of this will disappear it was only now that i realised that in spite of alistairs general relaxed manner here in the complex , he was without a doubt very wound up , and in fact , on reflection , he was probably very stressed out as well as terrified that he could find himself a failure : seven years work , all for nothing .