onscious of a singular change in himself, which had been
revealed by this slight discourse. He was no longer the same man that he
had hitherto been. The malignant fever, or his experiences, or both, had
taken away something from him, and put something else in its place.

During the next days, with further intellectual expansion, he became
clearly aware of what this was. The artistic sense had left him, and he
could no longer attach a definite sentiment to images of beauty recalled
from the past. His appreciativeness was capable of exercising itself
only on utilitarian matters, and recollection of Avice's good qualities
alone had any effect on his mind; of her appearance none at all.

At first he was appalled; and then he said, 'Thank God!'

Marcia, who, with something of her old absolutism, came to his house
continually to inquire and give orders, and to his room to see him every
afternoon, found out for herself in the course of his convalescence this
strange death of the sensuous side of Jocelyn's nature. She had said
that Avice was getting extraordinarily handsome, and that she did not
wonder her stepson lost his heart to her--an inadvertent remark which
she immediately regretted, in fear lest it should agitate him. He merely
answered, however, 'Yes; I suppose she is handsome. She's more--a wise
girl who will make a good housewife in time.... I wish you were not
handsome, Marcia.'

'Why?'

'I don't quite know why. Well--it seems a stupid quality to me. I can't
understand what it is good for any more.'

'O--I as a woman think there's good in it.'

'Is there? Then I have lost all conception of it. I don't know what has
happened to me. I only know I don't regret it. Robinson Crusoe lost
a day in his illness: I have lost a faculty, for which loss Heaven be
praised!'

There was something pathetic in this announcement, and Marcia sighed as
she said, 'Perhaps when you get strong it will come back to you.'

Pierston shook his head. It then occurred to him that never since the
reappearance of Marcia had he seen her in full daylight, or without
a bonnet and thick veil, which she always retained on these frequent
visits, and that he had been unconsciously regarding her as the Marcia
of their early time, a fancy which the small change in her voice well
sustained. The stately figure, the good colour, the classical profile,
the rather large handsome nose and somewhat prominent, regular teeth,
the full dark eye, formed sti