AsIhadnothingparticulartodo，IwenttoaFrenchbooksellerinwhoseshopImadetheacquaintanceofawittyhunchback，andImustsaythatahunchbackwithoutwitisaragaavis；Ihavefounditsoinallcountries。Ofcourseitisnotwitwhichgivesthehump，for，thankGod，allwittymenarenothumpbacked，butwemaywellsaythatasageneralrulethehumpgiveswit，fortheverysmallnumberofhunchbackswhohavelittleornowitonlyconfirmstherule:TheoneIwasalludingtojustnowwascalledDubois—Chateleraux。Hewasaskilfulengraver，anddirectoroftheMintofParmafortheInfante，althoughthatprincecouldnotboastofsuchaninstitution。
Ispentanhourwiththewittyhunchback，whoshewedmeseveralofhisengravings，andIreturnedtothehotelwhereIfoundtheHungarianwaitingtoseeHenriette。Hedidnotknowthatshewouldthatmorningreceiveusintheattireofhersex。Thedoorwasthrownopen，andabeautiful，charmingwomanmetuswithacourtesyfullofgrace，whichnolongerremindedusofthestiffnessorofthetoogreatfreedomwhichbelongtothemilitarycostume。Hersuddenappearancecertainlyastonishedus，andwedidnotknowwhattosayorwhattodo。Sheinvitedustobeseated，lookedatthecaptaininafriendlymanner，andpressedmyhandwiththewarmestaffection，butwithoutgivingwayanymoretothatoutwardfamiliaritywhichayoungofficercanassume，butwhichdoesnotsuitawell—educatedlady。Hernobleandmodestbearingsooncompelledmetoputmyselfinunisonwithher，andIdidsowithoutdifficulty，forshewasnotactingapart，andthewayinwhichshehadresumedhernaturalcharactermadeiteasyformetofollowheronthatground。
Iwasgazingatherwithadmiration，and，urgedbyafeelingwhichI
didnottaketimetoanalyze，Itookherhandtokissitwithrespect，but，withoutgivingmeanopportunityofraisingittomylips，sheofferedmeherlovelymouth。Neverdidakisstastesodelicious。
\"AmInotthenalwaysthesame？\"saidshetome，withdeepfeeling。