Sentence:  In the old days, [...], he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, [...], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned. But he had then none of the oddities and mannerisms which I hold to be inseparable from genius, and which struck my attention in after days when I came in <WSD>contact</WSD> with the Celebrity. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  The establishment of communication (with).