He would repeat them innumerable times, and patiently Ruth would repeat her answers.
"What is your name ?" "Ruth." "Ruth what ?" "Enschede; Ruth Enschede." "En-shad-ay.

You are French ?" "No.

Dutch; Pennsylvania Dutch." And then his interest would cease.

Perhaps an hour later he would begin again.
At other times he seemed to have regained the normal completely.

He would discuss something she had been reading, and he would give her some unexpected angle, setting a fictional character before her with astonishing clearness.