ford , ▁also , ▁were ▁frequent ▁and ▁of ▁some ▁duration , ▁and ▁he ▁not ▁un fre qu ently ▁stayed ▁three ▁or ▁four ▁days ▁together ▁at ▁the ▁house ▁of ▁Mr . ▁Gil ch rist , ▁or ▁of ▁Mr . ▁Dr ury . ▁The ▁stream ▁of ▁visitors ▁to ▁Help ston ▁had ▁ceased , ▁to ▁a ▁great ▁extent , ▁and ▁the ▁few ▁that ▁dropped ▁in ▁now ▁and ▁then ▁were ▁mostly ▁of ▁the ▁better ▁class , ▁or ▁at ▁least ▁not ▁belonging ▁to ▁the ▁vul gar - cur ious ▁element . ▁Among ▁the ▁number ▁was ▁Mr . ▁Cha un ce y ▁H are ▁Town send , ▁a ▁d andy f ied ▁poet ▁of ▁some ▁note , ▁particularly ▁gift ed ▁in ▁m adr ig als ▁and ▁past or als . ▁ ▁He ▁came ▁all ▁the ▁way ▁from ▁London ▁to ▁see ▁Cla re , ▁and ▁having ▁taken ▁a ▁guide ▁from ▁St am ford ▁to ▁Help ston , ▁was ▁utter ly ▁amaz ed , ▁on ▁his ▁arrival , ▁to ▁find ▁that ▁the ▁c ott age , ▁beautiful ly ▁dep icted ▁in ▁the ▁' V ill age ▁M inst rel ', ▁was ▁not ▁visible ▁anywhere . ▁His ▁rom antic ▁scheme ▁had ▁been ▁to ▁seek ▁Cla re ▁in ▁his ▁home , ▁which ▁he ▁thought ▁easy ▁with ▁the ▁picture ▁in ▁his ▁pocket ; ▁and ▁having ▁stepped ▁over ▁the ▁flower - cl ad ▁por ch , ▁to ▁r ush ▁inside , ▁with ▁tender ly - d ign ified ▁air , ▁and ▁drop ▁into ▁the ▁arms ▁of ▁the ▁brother ▁poet . ▁However , ▁the ▁scheme ▁threatened