"I have it." Of course, Rorschach hadn't forgotten the object Valon had been so concerned about. He had burned the handkerchief it was wrapped in and was now holding it with his own.
"Wonderful!" Valon tried to sit up and take it, but a fit of coughing immediately thwarted his attempt. The once-dashing young man, now terminally ill, was a shadow of his former self as he slumped dejectedly back onto the bed.
"Ah, very well, Rorschach. You've saved me for a second time. Since my life is now completely in my savior's hands, you should take it. If you still see me as a person, please treat it kindly. But if you see what a wretched scoundrel I truly am, then stomp it underfoot and try to destroy it."
When he spoke of destroying the Donkey Hide, Valon even showed a hint of anticipation and a strange excitement. "I've tried. This hide is just stubbornly indestructible. If you manage to defeat it, I'll applaud you from beyond the grave."
