Meanwhile, in the distant town of Sandbourne, Christopher Julian had
recovered from the weariness produced by his labours at the Wyndway
evening-party where Ethelberta had been a star. Instead of engaging his
energies to clear encumbrances from the tangled way of his life, he now
set about reading the popular 'Metres by E.' with more interest and
assiduity than ever; for though Julian was a thinker by instinct, he was
a worker by effort only; and the higher of these kinds being dependent
upon the lower for its exhibition, there was often a lamentable lack of
evidence of his power in either. It is a provoking correlation, and has
conduced to the obscurity of many a genius.

'Kit,' said his sister, on reviving at the end of the bad headache which
had followed the dance, 'those poems seem to have increased in value with
you. The lady, lofty as she appears to be, would be flattered if she
only could know how much you study them. Have you decided to thank her
for them? Now let us talk it over--I like having a chat about such a
pretty new subject.'

'I would thank her in a moment if I were absolutely certain that she had
anything to do with sending them, or even writing them. I am not quite
sure of that yet.'

'How strange that a woman could bring herself to write those verses!'

'Not at all strange--they are natural outpourings.'

Faith looked critically at the remoter caverns of the fire.