"And now where have you kept yourself so long, Richard?"
"In one little hovel down town; I no put my nose out de door, fear dey chuck me into ze ground. Bury folks dis summer sometimes all warm and limber. I want to live till I'm dead, so I keep down. Life's as sweet to me as others, though I am misshapen, and lame, and poor, and miserable to look upon. Hih, hih, Monsieur, yes, life is sweet."
"And how come you to be out to-day?"
"I strolled out for one walk, hih, hih, one walk for the health of my crutches and myself; and as I passed along, some one give me this note for you, hih, hih, Monsieur. Goodbye! I must be going, or the undertaker will have me stuck two feet in the ground before I get back. Goodbye. Take care of yourself, hih!"
"Goodbye, Richard."
"Monsieur, you remember what you told me one day, long time ago?"
"What about, Richard?"
"About loving one another. Hih, hih, you forget?"
"No, Richard, never forgotten."