On reaching my lodgings, I wrote the following letter to my sweetheart. I dated it, but omitted the address:
‘Dearest,—I visited the Warrior to-day, but was informed that the regulations oblige friends to bid farewell on board the convict ship when the people are in her. If I do not visit you to say good-bye, you will not wonder; you will understand there is a reason; you know my heart as I know yours, and will not mistake. We shall meet sooner than we think. Many swift ships are weekly sailing to the colonies. I kiss you and pray that God may watch over you.
‘Your own
‘Marian.’
I addressed this letter and went out to post it. It was then shortly after two o’clock in the afternoon. Having posted the letter, I walked a little distance until I came to a hairdresser’s shop. I entered and said to a woman who sat behind the counter that I wanted my hair cut. She took me upstairs, and in a few moments a man stepped in.
‘I wish you to cut my hair,’ said I.
‘The hends of it, miss?’ said he, bowing and smirking and rubbing his hands.
‘The whole of it,’ I exclaimed.
He opened his eyes, but said nothing whilst I removed my hat. He then exclaimed: ‘That’s a beautiful ’ead of hair to remove, miss. Hall, do I understand? Or can it be singeing and cleaning that you want done?’
‘All,’ said I, ‘and pray be quick, for there is not much daylight left.’
He took down my hair, and in the glass I sat in front of I saw him fall back and admire it. I also witnessed expostulation in his face, and he stole doubtful looks at me in the mirror as though he questioned my sanity; on which I peremptorily repeated my request that he would cut off all my hair. A woman’s hair is her glory, they say, and I felt as though I was parting with a crown of beauty as I watched my long raven-black tresses in the glass falling under the shearing snip of the remorseless scissors. But there was a sense of triumph in me, too—the elation of love—the feeling that what I was doing was for Tom’s sake, and that this was the very least of the sacrifices I was willing to make for him.