to converse
amid graceful surroundings with people who at all events followed the
intellectual current of the day. Careless hitherto of his personal appearance,
he now cultivated an elegance of attire in conformity with his aristocratic
instincts, and this habit became fixed. When next he visited Twybridge, the
change in his appearance was generally remarked. Mrs. Peak naturally understood
it as a significant result of his intercourse with Miss Moxey, of whom, as it
seemed to her, he spoke with singular reticence.
    But Marcella had no charm for Godwin's imagination, notwithstanding that he
presently suspected a warmth of interest on her side which he was far from
consciously encouraging. Nor did he find among his friends any man or woman for
whose acquaintance he greatly cared. The Moxeys had a very small circle,
consisting chiefly of intellectual inferiors. Christian was too indolent to make
a figure in society, and his sister suffered from peculiarities of mind and
temperament which made it as difficult for her as for Peak himself to form
intimate friendships.
    When chance encounter brought him into connection with Earwaker, the revival
of bygone things was at first doubtfully pleasant. Earwaker himself, remarkably
developed and become a very interesting man, was as welcome an associate as he
could have found, but it cost him some effort to dismiss the thought of Andrew
Peak's eating-house, and to accept the friendly tact with which the journalist
avoided all hint of unpleasant memories. That Earwaker should refrain from a
single question concerning that abrupt disappearance, nearly ten years ago,
sufficiently declared his knowledge of the unspeakable cause, a reflection which
often made Godwin writhe. However, this difficulty was overcome, and the two met
very frequently. For several weeks Godwin enjoyed better spirits than he had
known since the first excitement of his life in London faded away.
    One result was easily foreseen. His mind grew busy with literary projects,
many that he had long contemplated and some that were new. Once more he aimed at
contributing to the advanced reviews, and sketched out several papers of
sociological tenor. None of these were written. As soon as he sat down to
deliberate composition, a sense of his deficiencies embarrassed him. Godwin's
self-confidence had nothing in common with the conceit which rests on imaginary
strength. Power there was in him; of that he could not but be conscious: its
true direction he had not yet learned. Defect of knowledge, lack of
pen-practice, confusion and contradictoriness of aims, instability of
conviction, - these faults he recognised in himself at every moment of inward
scrutiny.
    On his table this evening lay a library