just born that way

"Emmet's just born that way." Kit said. "I never remember him getting into trouble or anything. I suppose they didn't roar at him much because of his stammer. That must have been it."

"They didn't roar at Anna enough." Clio said darkly.

"Listen, what do you think he'll really talk to us about? Do you think it might be about doing it?"

"I'll die if he did."

"I'll die if he doesn't." Clio said, and they pealed with enough laugther to bring Philip O'Brien's father to his usual position at the door of his hotel to view them with disapproval.

Whatever Father John, the Missioner, had intended to talk about to the senior girls in Lough Glass convent was never known, because it happened that his visit coincided with a huge argument that raged trhough the senior schoolm about whether Judas was or was not in Hell.

Mother Bernard was not considered a satisfactory arbiter on the matter. The girls were persistent that the visiting Missioner give a ruling. There was a very strong view that Judas must be hin Hell.

"Hadn't Our Lord said that it were better for that man if he hadn't ever been born?"

"Now that must mean he was in Hell."

"It could mean that for thousand of years his name would be connected with traitor and betrayer and that was his punishment for betraying Our Lord. Couldn't it?"

"No, it couldn't, because that would only be name calling. Sticks and stone could break your bones but words would never hurt you."

Father John looked at their young faces, heated and red with excitement. He hadn't come across such fervour in a long time.

"But Our Lord couldn't have chosen him as a friend, knowing that he was going to betray him and that he'd be sent to Hell. That would mean Our Lord was setting a trap for Judas."

"He didn't have to betray him, he just did it for the money."