Vavasor remained the next two weeks at Yrndale. In those days Nature had the best chance with him she had ever had. For a man is a man however he may have been injured by society trying to substitute itself for both God and Nature. A man is potentially a man however far he may be from actual manhood. Who knows what may be awakened in him?

During that fortnight, sensations came upon Vavasor of which he had had no previous consciousness The most remarkable event of the time, which would have seemed incredible to those who knew him best in London, was that one morning he got up in time to see—and for the purpose of seeing—the sun rise. It was a great stride forward. And that was not all—he really enjoyed it! He had poetry enough to feel something of the indwelling greatness that belonged to the vision itself. He felt a power of some kind present to his soul in the sight—though he set it down to poetic feeling. It was, in fact, the drawing of the naturing Eternal, whom he was made to understand, but of whom he knew so little.

Hester’s thoughts dwelling so much on the people of her London neighbourhood, it could not be helped that their conversation often drifted in that direction. Yet notwithstanding the influences of nature around him, Vavasor was almost as far from understanding Hester’s heart in the matter as he had been the night of the ill-fated concert. To him, Hester’s calling was a mere fancy that would pass in time.

“I confess,” said Vavasor as they chatted easily one day, “the condition of our poor in our large towns is the great question of the day.”

“—which every one is waking up to talk about,” said Hester, and said no more.