He felt his arm.

Yes, the cold rigor of this new life had already worn off much of the clogging weight of flesh, strengthened the muscles.

Six months more in the West would toughen the fibres to iron.
He raised an iron weight that lay on the steps, carelessly testing them.

For the rest, he was going back here; something of the cold, loose freshness got into his brain, he believed.

In the two years of absence his power of concentration had been stronger, his perceptions more free from prejudice, gaining every day delicate point, acuteness of analysis.