Brother Mathias is a soft-spoken Indian Catholic, with deep-set eyes and a somewhat melancholy manner.

He opened his mouth now a great many times and shook his head in a melancholy manner.

Peterkin gazed, in an abstracted and melancholy manner, out to sea!

The new pas de deux began in a sweetly melancholy manner.

It was between nine and ten o'clock when, strolling in a melancholy manner through the town, I stopped at Mr. Omer's door.

D'Artagnan smiled in a melancholy manner at seeing this great political question resolved by the discontent of such humble interests.

Then, with a sudden vehemence most unlike his usual melancholy manner, he brought down his hand with a bang on the table.

Brood: to think deeply about something, often in a dark or melancholy manner.

"What you relate may be very pretty, but you tell it in so melancholy a manner, and do not mention Kay."

In them, Brennan mocks Manhattan society and social tradition, but in a humorous, wistful, and often melancholy manner.