He cleared his throat till the glassware jingled.

He pulled at his mustache.

He perspired, fumed, fretted, and was suddenly seized with an insane desire to laugh.

Once only he caught the eye of K.D.B., calmly sitting in her corner, picking daintily at her fish, whereupon he immediately overturned the vinegar and pepper casters upon the floor.
Just so might have behaved an overgrown puppy in the presence of a sleepy, unperturbed chessy-cat, dozing by the fire.
"He ought to be shaken," murmured Blix at the end of her patience.
"Does he think SHE is going to make the first move ?" "Ha, ah'm!" thundered the captain, clearing his throat for the twentieth time, twirling his mustache, and burying his scarlet face in an enormous pocket handkerchief.
Five minutes passed and he was still in his place.

From time to time K.D.B.fixed him with a quiet, deliberate look, and resumed her delicate picking.
"Do you think she knows it's he, now that he's taken off his marguerites ?" whispered Condy.
"Know it ?--of course she does! Do you think women are absolutely BLIND, or so imbecile as men are?
And, then, if she didn't think it was he, she'd go away.