He was musing on the confession of Julian, so long withheld, so shyly made at last.

This confession caused him, for the first time, to look self-consciously upon himself, to stand away from his nature, as the artist stands away from the picture he is painting, and to examine it with a sideways head, with a peering, contracted gaze.

This thing that protected a soul from sin--what was it like?
What was it?
He could not easily surmise.

He had a clear vision of the Christ soul, of the exquisite essence of a divine individuality that prompted life to spring out of death for one perfect moment that it might miraculously reward a great human act of humanity.

Yes, that soul floated before him almost visibly.