'Elizabeth,' I said, shuddering, 'I cannot do all this.'
'Oo's arskin' you to?' demanded the girl. 'I was only repeating wot
Miss Marryun ses to me with 'er own lips. "Yes, I should fair get to
detest 'im if 'e was spruce," was 'er very words.'
I pondered. 'Are you quite sure she stipulated about the beard?'
'She did that. She mentioned it pertickler three times.'
I shook my head firmly. Whatever happened I did not mean to concede
that point. My beard is one of my best friends. By allowing it to
grow to a suitable length it conceals the fact when my ties have grown
shabby, and saves me any unnecessary changing of collars. No, I would
never be clean-shaven. I could not face the world stripped of my
natural facial coverings.
'There may be something in what you say, and I will consider your
suggestion regarding the trousers, Elizabeth,' I conceded, 'but the
suggestion that I should shave is perfectly monstrous and I won't think
of it for a moment.'
'Well, to my mind it's one of the first things wot ought to be done
with you,' she said in what seemed to me a disparaging sort of voice,
'wots the good o' puttin' a fancy westcoat an' a watch an' albert on a
chap when 'e's got an 'ead like a wild man o' the woods. There ort to
be no 'arf an' 'arf about it, I ses.'
I looked at the girl sternly, feeling that her speech was becoming
unduly familiar.
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