"The thoughts do not come so quickly as they once did, and the words, too, hobble along like lamesters on crutches." "But," said Hugh, half timidly, "it is never--you would never, I mean, be too old to visit that country, where there are so many stories to be found ?" "Perhaps not," said Marcelline, "but even if I found them, I might not be able to tell them.

Go and look for them for yourself, Monsieur Cheri; you have not half seen the tapestry castle yet." But when Hugh would have asked her more she would not reply, only smiled and shook her head.

So the boy went slowly downstairs after Jeanne, wondering what old Marcelline could mean, half puzzled and half pleased.
"Only," he said to himself, "if I get into the castle, Jeanne really must come with me, especially if it is to hear stories.".