His lips moved soundlessly, while behind his silence the storm of his wrath gathered.
What did the boy mean by treating him like this?
Did he think he would endure to be set aside thus deliberately as one whose words had no weight?
Did he think--confound him!--did he think that he had reached his dotage?
A sudden oath escaped him; he banged a furious fist upon the table.

He would make himself heard at least.
In the same instant quite unexpectedly Piers leaped to his feet with uplifted hand.

"What's that ?" "What do you mean ?" thundered Sir Beverley.
Piers' hand descended, gripping his arm.

"That, sir, that! Don't you hear ?" Voice and gesture compelled.

Sir Beverley stopped dead, arrested in full career by his grandson's insistence, and listened with pent breath, as Piers was listening.
For a moment or two he heard nothing, then, close outside the window, there arose the sound of children's voices.