Out of fourteen to whom invitations were addressed, nine had presented themselves at the preliminary meeting; one, we know, had since proved unfaithful.

Egremont looked round for Ackroyd on entering, but the young man was not here.
On the front bench were two men whom as yet you know only by name.

Mr.
Bower was clearly distinguishable by his personal importance and the _ennui_, not to be disguised, with which he listened to the opening sentences of the lecture.

He leaned against the desk behind him, and carefully sharpened the point of his pencil.

He was a large man with a spade-shaped beard; his forehead was narrow, and owed its appearance of height to incipient baldness; his eyes were small and shrewd.