Cirrus@Austlit

'The book relates events drawn from a series of hypnotic-trance episodes conducted over a five-year period in which her friend and constant companion, medium Nancy Harward, recounts an intimate "memoir" of a life in Rome over 1,800 years ago. What results is an incredible story within a story that traces purportedly real historical events during the first half-century after the death of Christ. The book itself, which was not published for thirty years after it was written, is now in the public domain.'

Source: Where's the Drama

The novel is a tale of romance and the occult. Begins:

"How can any one hope to transfer that to canvas? asked the artist, surveying the many coloured earth and sky and sea with despairing eyes.

"Easily enough," replied the girl at his elbow, "those who see twice as vividly as others, can make others see once as vividly as they do. That is what we call genius."

"A large word for my small capabilities, Miss Enistor. Am I a genius?"

"Ask yourself, Mr. Hardwick, for none other than yourself can answer truly."

'Outside his special gift the artist was not over clever, so he lounged on the yielding turf of the slope to turn the speech over in his mind and wait results. This tall solidly built Saxon only arrived at conclusions by slow degrees of laborious reflection. With his straight athletic figure, closely clipped fair hair and a bronzed complexion, against which his moustache looked almost white, he resembled a soldier rather than a painter.'