Jack had a good view of him and could take notice of his own impressions, though he found them hard to put into words afterwards.

The words he finally chose were "subdued" and "patient" again, and there are hardly two words that would have been less applicable to Frank three months before.

At the same time his virility was more noticeable than ever; he had about him, Jack said, something of the air of a very good groom--a hard-featured and sharp, yet not at all unkindly look, very capable and, at the same time, very much restrained.

There was no sentimental nonsense about him at all--his sorrow had not taken that form.
"Well, I needn't talk much about Jenny's last letter and what happened after that.

I was entirely unprepared, of course.