He rarely walked abroad and was invariably late for meals, save when he missed any particular one altogether, which happened frequently.

Absent-minded in conversation, untidy in dress, unpractical in business, dreamy in manner, Professor Braddock lived solely for archaeology.

That such a man should have taken to himself a wife was mystery.
Yet he had been married fifteen years before to a widow, who possessed a limited income and one small child.

It was the opportunity of securing the use of a steady income which had decoyed Braddock into the matrimonial snare of Mrs.Kendal.To put it plainly, he had married the agreeable widow for her money, although he could scarcely be called a fortune-hunter.

Like Eugene Aram, he desired cash to assist learning, and as that scholar had committed murder to secure what he wanted, so did the Professor marry to obtain his ends.