Most interesting to him was the life of an Edward De Stancy, who had lived just before the Civil Wars, and to whom Captain De Stancy bore a very traceable likeness.

This ancestor had a mole on his cheek, black and distinct as a fly in cream; and as in the case of the first Lord Amherst's wart, and Bennet Earl of Arlington's nose-scar, the painter had faithfully reproduced the defect on canvas.

It so happened that the captain had a mole, though not exactly on the same spot of his face; and this made the resemblance still greater.
He took infinite trouble with his dress that day, showing an amount of anxiety on the matter which for him was quite abnormal.

At last, when fully equipped, he set out with his sister to make the call proposed.
Charlotte was rather unhappy at sight of her brother's earnest attempt to make an impression on Paula; but she could say nothing against it, and they proceeded on their way.
It was the darkest of November weather, when the days are so short that morning seems to join with evening without the intervention of noon.

The sky was lined with low cloud, within whose dense substance tempests were slowly fermenting for the coming days.