'You know Me, although you knew Me not.'
'And me that's known You all my life, and my old woman what knew You too! Anyhow, I'd have seen You before long.'
'You have seen Me from the first.'
'Not plain--not plain. I've heard You, and I've known that You was there, but I haven't seen You as I've tried to. You know the sort of chap I am--a silly old fool what's been burning since I was a little nipper. I ain't no scholar. The likes of me didn't have no schooling when I was young, and I ain't no hand at words; but You know how I'm all of a twitter, and there ain't no words what will tell how glad I am to see You. Like the silly old jackass that I am, I'm a-cryin'!'
The Stranger stood up, holding out His hand.
'Friend!'
The charcoal-burner put his gnarled, knotted, and now trembling hand into the Stranger's palm.
'Lord! Lord!'
'So often I have heard you call upon My Name.'
'Ay, in the morning when the day was young; at noon, when the work was heavy; at night, when rest had come. Youth and man, You've been with me all the time, and with my old woman, too.'