Wilfrid got it down, and commenced a lecture to fill the awkward pause.

His sisters maintained the opera-stall posture of languid attention, contesting his phrases simply with their eyebrows, and smiling.

He was no match for them while they chose to be silent: and indeed if the business of life were conducted in dumb show, women would beat men hollow.

They posture admirably.

In dumb show they are equally good for attack and defence.
But this is not the case in speech.