"poor bachmatoff was much impressed painfully so. he took me all the way home; not attempting to console me, but behaving with the greatest delicacy. on taking leave he pressed my hand warmly and asked permission to come and see me. i replied that if he came to me as a ‘comforter,’ so to speak (for he would be in that capacity whether he spoke to me in a soothing manner or only kept silence, as i pointed out to him), he would but remind me each time of my approaching death! he shrugged his shoulders, but quite agreed with me; and we parted better friends than i had expected.