Копи царя Соломона
Solomon’s Road
Hehadwashedhisgutta-perchacollar,hadthoroughlyshakenouthistrousers,coatandwaistcoat,andwasnowfoldingthemupneatlytillhewasreadytoputthemon,shakinghisheadsadlyashescannedthenumerousrentsandtearsinthem,whichnaturallyhadresultedfromourfrightfuljourney. Thenhetookhisboots,scrubbedthemwithahandfuloffern,andfinallyrubbedthemoverwithapieceoffat,whichhehadcarefullysavedfromtheincomeat,tilltheylooked,comparativelyspeaking,respectable. Havinginspectedthemjudiciouslythroughhiseye-glass,heputthebootsonandbeganafreshoperation. Fromalittlebagthathecarriedheproducedapocket-combinwhichwasfixedatinylooking-glass,andinthishesurveyedhimself. Apparentlyhewasnotsatisfied,forheproceededtodohishairwithgreatcare. Thencameapausewhilstheagaincontemplatedtheeffect;stillitwasnotsatisfactory. Hefelthischin,onwhichtheaccumulatedscrubofatendays’beardwasflourishing.
"Surely,"thoughtI,"heisnotgoingtotrytoshave." Butsoitwas. Takingthepieceoffatwithwhichhehadgreasedhisboots,Goodwasheditthoroughlyinthestream. Thendivingagainintothebaghebroughtoutalittlepocketrazorwithaguardtoit,suchasareboughtbypeoplewhoareafraidofcuttingthemselves,orbythoseabouttoundertakeaseavoyage. Thenherubbedhisfaceandchinvigorouslywiththefatandbegan.
