compare with it. Listen, my lord."

And he began, with modulations which revealed an admirable voice
and an excellent method, to sing a Tyrolean song which seemed to
bid defiance to the human throat with its rebellious music. Sir
John watched Roland, and listened to him with an astonishment
which he no longer took the trouble to conceal. When the last note
had died away among the cavities of the mountain, he exclaimed:

"God bless me! but I think your liver is out of order."

Roland started and looked at him interrogatively. But seeing that
Sir John did not intend to say more, he asked:

"Good! What makes you think so?"

"You are too noisily gay not to be profoundly melancholy."

"And that anomaly astonishes you?"

"Nothing astonishes me, because I know that it has always its
reason for existing."

"True, and it's all in knowing the secret. Well, I'm going to
enlighten you."

"Oh! I don't want to force you."

"You're too polite to do that; still, you must admit you would
be glad to have your mind set at rest about me."