That ought to
satisfy them for a long time.
The other boys had teased him about his hair, and it got in the
way when he was playing--he hated it. Besides, ever since the
story of Absalom's rebellion and punishment, it had remained a
secret terror to him, but it had never before occurred to him to
have it cut off.
His schoolfellows were dismayed, and the hairdresser looked on it
as a work of wilful destruction.
Rafael felt his heart begin to sink, but the very audacity of the
thing gave him courage They should see what he dare do. The
hairdresser hesitated to act without Fru Kaas's knowledge, but at
length he ceased to make objections.
Rafael's heart sank lower and lower, but he must go through with
it now. "Off with it," he said, and remained immovable in the
chair.
"I have never seen more splendid hair," said the hairdresser
diffidently, taking up the scissors but still hesitating.
Rafael saw that his companions were on the tiptoe of expectation.
"Off with it," he said again with assumed indifference.
The hairdresser cut the hair into his hand and laid it carefully
in paper.
The boys followed every snip of the scissors with their eyes,
Rafael with his ears; he could not see in the glass.
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