"I am not laughing," said the child.
Ursus was seized with a shudder from head to foot.
"You do laugh, I tell you."
Then seizing the child with a grasp which would have been one of fury had it not been one of pity, he asked him: roughly,—
"Who did that to you?"
The child replied,—
"I don't know what you mean."
"How long have you had that laugh?"
"I have always been thus," said the child.
Ursus turned towards the chest, saying in a low voice,—