These we dismissed as soon as Morsigny was in sight; nor did we lose time on our way. It was little Gaston's first forced march, and hugely he enjoyed it. But we elders were silent; when the heart is troubled, the tongue commonly takes holiday. Once only did Brother Paul speak. "From the bottom of my heart I pity him," he said, turning to me suddenly. "Pity whom? Jean Volran?" "That most unhappy man, Louis of France. I sometimes think--though it is heresy, from which God deliver us all!--I sometimes think we make our own hell, people it with devils of our own creating, and by dwelling with them become like them." "If by hell you mean our own follies," I began bitterly, but Brother Paul stopped me, and his voice was infinitely gentle. "No, my son, no--not that; such pains truly are stripes of healing. But Louis! What a mind he must have to think that every man is such another as himself, and--oh, for poor human nature!--how often he must have found it true. To every man his price! But it is a lie, a lie, and to-day proves it a lie. I am glad, though, that you go back with us first to Morsigny. Mademoiselle de Narbonne has a shrewder head than I, though I am thrice her age. She may help us in our straits. I have great faith in Mademoiselle de Narbonne." "Mademoiselle de Narbonne?" "Yes, Suzanne." "But I thought she was Mademoiselle D'Orfeuil?" Brother Paul smiled and shook his head. "That was some jest, some whim of hers, and yet, perhaps, with a purpose behind it. Suzanne is no light-of-mind to jest just for jesting's sake. Perhaps she thought you would be more at ease at Morsigny. Nor was it an untruth. She is Suzanne D'Orfeuil de Narbonne, Monseigneur's cousin. Because of your ignorance of our tongue she had only Gaston and me to reckon with. To Gaston she was always Suzanne, and I humoured her, as why should I not? She can always make me do as she wills." "But now?" said I blankly, and feeling as if again the bottom of my world were dropping out. "The time for such toys is past," answered Brother Paul gravely. "It does not become my office to countenance the prolonging of a jest in the face of such issues as lie before us." I made no reply; and he, perhaps in contemplation of these same issues, he too fell silent.