He laughed.
"Lucky to be alive at all." "Or not done in for ever like myself," said I.
"I didn't like to ask--" he said.

Men would rather die than commit the indelicacy of appearing to notice my infirmity.
"You haven't been out there ?" "No such luck," said I."I got this little lot about a fortnight after I saw you.

Johnnie was still on sick leave and so was out of that scrap." He commiserated with me on my ill-fortune, and handed me his cigarette case.

We smoked.
"You've been on my mind for months," he said abruptly.
"I ?" He nodded.

"I thought I recognised you.