He only shaved once a day, in the morning; and on the following morning he shaved again. But it was his whole beard that he thus shaved off daily, thirty days' growth in a night. He had had no set intention of growing that beard that I had seen in the hansom. A few days before coming to Trenchard's place he had woke up one morning, stroked his face, and found it there.
There he slept—in his golden beard.
IV
"Most certainly he shall write his book," Julia declared.
"Not if I can prevent it," I replied.
"We'll see about that. You don't think he'll give us the slip again?"
"I don't think so—I mean he doesn't seem to want to at present."
"And he was all right when you left him? Is he comfortable there? Had he a good breakfast? Was his bed made? Does anybody go in and clear up for him? Had he any flowers?"
"He's quite all right there. He wants to see me as much as he can. He'd ask me to stay with him, but he's determined to get ahead with that book."