He sneezed.
"Perhaps--" Margaret began, but paused apprehensively.
"Perhaps-per-per--" Her apprehensions became more and more poignant; her eyes seemed fixed upon some incredible disaster; she appeared to inflate while the catastrophe she foresaw became more and more imminent.

All at once she collapsed, but the power decorum had over her was attested by the mildness of her sneeze after so threatening a prelude.
"Perhaps I'd better put one of the windows down," Mr.Blakely suggested.
"Both, I believe," said Margaret.

"The room has cooled off, now, I think." Mr.Blakely closed the windows, and, returning to a chair near Margaret, did his share in the production of another long period of quiet.

Penrod allowed this one to pass without any vocal disturbance on his part.

It may be, however, that his gaze was disturbing to Mr.Blakely, upon whose person it was glassily fixed with a self-forgetfulness that was almost morbid.
"Didn't you enjoy the last meeting of the Cotillion Club ?" Margaret said finally.
And upon Mr.Blakely's answering absently in the affirmative, she suddenly began to be talkative.