Dinner was served.
The meal went rather brutally.

The over-gentleness and apologetic tone of the mother brought out all the brutality of manners in the sons.
Edgar tasted the potatoes, moved his mouth quickly like a rabbit, looked indignantly at his mother, and said: "These potatoes are burnt, mother." "Yes, Edgar.

I forgot them for a minute.

Perhaps you'll have bread if you can't eat them." Edgar looked in anger across at Miriam.
"What was Miriam doing that she couldn't attend to them ?" he said.
Miriam looked up.

Her mouth opened, her dark eyes blazed and winced, but she said nothing.