The stars supplied no answers to his question and the silence lengthened as he considered the situation.

They all looked at the General as his silence lengthened.

The silence lengthened to almost five minutes, and still Matt had heard nothing.

I could not think of an answer to Dutiful's question either, so the silence lengthened.

He shook himself as the silence lengthened, and then continued.

For a long time, as the silence lengthened, he stared into space.

Lee looked around the table as the stunned silence lengthened.

The silence lengthened until he cleared his voice and spoke.

The silence lengthened until he had finished his own tea and there was nothing to do except go back to work.

But the dead woman's silence lengthened, and they realized it was true.