Rather than prolong the scene before a slave, Marius let her go.

He withdrew the paper slightly, as if to prolong the scene before him.

But he was not inclined to prolong the scene; the interference had been forced upon him.

But we must not prolong the scene.

Derek looked frequently at the clock, and cursed the unknown cabman whose delay was prolonging the scene.

To avoid prolonging the scene she paid Maria a month's wages in lieu of notice-£1 ,13s ,4d

'Two hours ago exactly,' he corrected her, and would willingly have prolonged the scene indefinitely had not his practical better half prevented him.