Chapter 6

           Iusedtoattendtheking’sleveeonceortwiceaweek,andhadoftenseenhimunderthebarber’shand,whichindeedwasatfirstveryterribletobehold;fortherazorwasalmosttwiceaslongasanordinaryscythe.Hismajesty,accordingtothecustomofthecountry,wasonlyshavedtwicea-week.Ionceprevailedonthebarbertogivemesomeofthesudsorlather,outofwhichIpickedfortyorfiftyofthestrongeststumpsofhair.Ithentookapieceoffinewood,andcutitlikethebackofacomb,makingseveralholesinitatequaldistanceswithassmallaneedleasIcouldgetfromGlumdalclitch.Ifixedinthestumpssoartificially,scrapingandslopingthemwithmyknifetowardthepoints,thatImadeaverytolerablecomb;whichwasaseasonablesupply,myownbeingsomuchbrokenintheteeth,thatitwasalmostuseless:neitherdidIknowanyartistinthatcountrysoniceandexact,aswouldundertaketomakemeanother.

           Andthisputsmeinmindofanamusement,whereinIspentmanyofmyleisurehours.Idesiredthequeen’swomantosaveformethecombingsofhermajesty’shair,whereofintimeIgotagoodquantity;andconsultingwithmyfriendthecabinet-maker,whohadreceivedgeneralorderstodolittlejobsforme,Idirectedhimtomaketwochair-frames,nolargerthanthoseIhadinmybox,andtoborelittleholeswithafineawl,roundthosepartswhereIdesignedthebacksandseats;throughtheseholesIwovethestrongesthairsIcouldpickout,justafterthemannerofcanechairsinEngland.Whentheywerefinished,Imadeapresentofthemtohermajesty;whokepttheminhercabinet,andusedtoshowthemforcuriosities,asindeedtheywerethewonderofeveryonethatbeheldthem.Thequeenwouldhavemesitupononeofthesechairs,butIabsolutelyrefusedtoobeyher,protestingIwouldratherdiethanplaceadishonourablepartofmybodyonthoseprecioushairs,thatonceadornedhermajesty’shead.