To say “No” was generally impossible to the Colonel, so he weakly yielded. He would send David over on the next day.
Mr. Romaine did not ask to see Letty, and went off after a short visit, leaving the Colonel in a very bad humor indeed.
Nevertheless, next day Dad Davy appeared and was introduced into Mr. Romaine’s bed-room. Dad Davy was not only honored by being thought capable of shaving Mr. Romaine, but he had brought his implements with him in a rusty-looking rush basket.
“You may know that I am about to dismiss my man; and I desired to find out if I could get any sort of a barber, in case there might be delay in the arrival of a man from New York that my agent will send me,” said Mr. Romaine. He was sitting in a large chair, with a newspaper in his hand, and wore a flowered silk dressing-gown, and evidently had not been shaved.
“Lord, yes, sir; I kin shave er gent’mun,” answered Dad Davy, with visions of a silver quarter illuminating his imagination. “I done brung some new shavin’ things wid me, and ef you wuz to let me git de hot water, I kin trim yo’ face jes’ ez clean ez er b’iled onion.”
“Very well; you may try your hand,” said Mr. Romaine, picking up his paper. “There is the shaving-table.”
Dad Davy tiptoed over to the shaving-table, and examined suspiciously the silver toilet articles, the spirit-lamps, scented soaps, etc., etc. Mr. Romaine, absorbed in his paper, presently heard Dad Davy, in an apologetic tone, saying:
“Marse Richard, I k’yarn do nuttin’ wid dem gorgeousome things. I got some mighty good soap here, an’ a new shavin’-bresh; an’ ef you will jes’ lem me took yo’ razor—”
“All right,” answered Mr. Romaine, deep in his paper.
In a few minutes Dad Davy remarked, “I’se ready,” and Mr. Romaine, lying back in his chair, shut his eyes, while Dad Davy began the lathering process. When it was about half done Mr. Romaine began sniffing suspiciously, but he could not open his mouth. Dad Davy then began with the razor, and a smoother or more luxurious shave Mr. Romaine never had in his life. As soon as he could speak, he growled: