Short ejaculatory prayers fell almost unconsciously from his lips, mainly for the poor men and women he must lock out to poverty and suffering.
Finally his being became all hearing.

Life appeared to stand still a moment as loom after loom stopped.

A sudden total silence followed.

It was broken by a long piercing wail as if some woman had been hurt, and in a few minutes Greenwood looked into his office and said, "They be all waiting for you, sir." The man spoke calmly, even cheerfully, and John roused himself and with an assumed air of hopefulness went to speak to his workers.
They were standing together and on every face there was a quiet steadfastness that was very impressive.

John went close to them so that he seemed to mingle with them.