the face (front) of a building

failure to care for something properly

summon; bring into existence (as if by magic)

strange; odd; unusual

force someone to do something

stay longer than necessary

come out of; spread out from

a small mark or flaw which spoils the appearance of something

"He was trying to do everything briskly these days. Briskness, he had decided, was the one common characteristic of all successful businessmen. The big shots up at the head office were absolutely fantastically brisk all the time."

Brisk means... (x3)

"But now, even in the darkness, he could see that the paint was peeling from the woodwork on their doors and windows and that the handsome white facades were cracked and blotchy from neglect."

Facade means... (x2)

"But now, even in the darkness, he could see that the paint was peeling from the woodwork on their doors and windows and that the handsome white facades were cracked and blotchy from neglect."

Neglect means... (x1)

"The name itself conjured up images of watery cabbage, rapacious landladies, and a powerful smell of kippers in the living room."

Conjure means... (x2)

"He was in the act of stepping back and turning away from the window when all at once his eye was caught and held in the most peculiar manner by the small notice that was there."

Peculiar means... (x3)

"Each word was like a large black eye staring at him through the glass, holding him, compelling him, forcing him to stay where he was and not to walk away from that house..."

Compel means... (x1)

"There is nothing more tantalizing than a thing like this that lingers just outside the borders of one’s memory. He hated to give up."

Linger means... (x2)

"Now and again, he caught a whiff of a peculiar smell that seemed to emanate directly from her person."

Emanate means... (x2)

"There wasn’t a blemish on his body.”

Blemish means... (x2)