"I tell you I did have an elephant, I did ride him, and I did have a circus every Saturday afternoon, so there!" The "so there" was tremendous.

The words vanished in the sound.

The boyish expression denoting triumphant climax became individual, the language of one soul.

He fired the words at them all like a charge of shot.

There was a pause of a second, then the laughter and mocking were recommencing.