But sternness was a part of the game at this moment. He
solemnly unlatched and lowered the tall sides of the cribs.
He stood in the middle of the room, with a gesture of command.
"Quiet now," he said. "Quiet, until I tell you!"
Yelpers could not help a small whine of intense emotion, which
slipped out unintended. The eyes of Groups and Bunks swivelled
angrily toward their unlucky brother. It was his failing: in
crises he always emitted haphazard sounds. But this time Gissing,
with lenient forgiveness, pretended not to have heard.
He returned to the balcony, and reentered his couch, where he lay
feigning sleep. In the nursery was a terrific stillness.
It was the rule of the game that they should lie thus, in
absolute quiet, until he uttered a huge imitation snore. Once,
after a particularly exhausting night, he had postponed the snore
too long: he fell asleep. He did not wake for an hour, and then
found the tragic three also sprawled in amazing slumber. But
their pillows were wet with tears.
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