n for comparative philology,' Christian resumed,
with the gentle tone in which he invariably spoke of his sister. 'What
a mind that girl has! I never knew any woman of half her powers.'

Godwin said nothing.

'No,' continued the other fervently, 'nor of half her goodness. I
sometimes think that no mortal could come nearer to our ideal of moral
justice and purity. If it were not for her, I should long ago have gone
to perdition, in one way or another. It's her strength, not my own,
that has saved me. I daresay you know this?'

'There's some truth in it, I believe,' Peak answered, his eye wandering.

'See how circumstances can affect one's judgment. If, just about the
time I first knew you, I had abandoned myself to a life of sottish
despair, of course I should have charged Constance with the blame of
it. Now that I have struggled on, I can see that she has been a
blessing to me instead of a curse. If Marcella has given me strength, I
have to thank Constance for the spiritual joy which otherwise I should
never have known.'

Peak uttered a short laugh.

'That is only saying that she _might_ have been ruinous, but in the
course of circumstances has proved helpful. I envy your power of
deriving comfort from such reflections.'

'Well, we view things differently. I have the habit of looking to the
consolatory facts of life, you to the depressing. There's an
unfortunate lack in you, Peak; you seem insensible to female influence,
and I believe that is closely connected with your desperate pessimism.'

Godwin laughed again, this time with mocking length of note. 'Come now,
isn't it true?' urged the other. 'Sincerely, do you care for women at
all?'

'Perhaps not.'

'A grave misfortune, depend upon it! It accounts for nearly everything
that is unsatisfactory in your life. If you had ever been sincerely
devoted to a woman, be assured your powers would have developed in a
way of which you have no conception. It's no answer to tell me that _I_
am still a mere trifler, never likely to do anything of account; I
haven't it in me to be anything better, and I might easily have become
much worse. But you might have made yourself a great position--I mean,
you _might_ do so; you are still very young. If only you knew the
desire of a woman's help.'

'You really think so?' said Godwin, with grave irony.

'I am sure of it! There's no harm in repeating what you have often told
me--your egoism oppresses you. A woman's influence take