At the Gate of Eden

would be no use. And I do not think Uncle Thomas thought it would be, either.”

“ You can laugh very naturally. Can you make any other sound? ”

“ Yes, sometimes. When I am pleased or frightened I have made little cries. But it is only when I am not thinking of it at all that I can do that. If I try to make a sound I cannot do it at all.”

This seemed to Eric more mysterious than ever.

“ Do you ever try to speak—to utter words? ” he persisted.

“ Oh, yes, very often. All the time I am saying the words in my head, just as I hear other people saying them, but I never can make my tongue say them. Do not look so sorry, my friend. I am very happy and I do not mind so very much not being able to speak—only sometimes when I have so many thoughts and it seems so slow to write them out, some of

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