But above all secrecy was still
necessary till the house was so complete that her Georgie might be
told, and by the end of the month Riseholme generally was in a state of
prostration following on the violent and feverish curiosity as to who
had taken the house. Georgie had gone so far as to confess that he
knew, but the most pathetic appeals as to the owner's identity had
fallen on obdurate, if not deaf, ears. Not the smallest hint would he
give on the subject, and though those incessant visits to the house,
those searchings for furniture, the bestowal of it in suitable places,
the superintendence of the making of the garden, the interviewings of
paperhangers, plumbers, upholsterers, painters, carpenters and so forth
occupied a great deal of time, the delicious mystery about it all, and
the fact that he was doing it for so adorable a creature, rendered his
exertions a positive refreshment. Another thing which, in conjunction
with this and his youth-giving studies, made him feel younger than ever
was the discreet arrival and perfect success of his toupet. No longer
was there any need to fear the dislocation of his espaliered locks. He
felt so secure and undetectable in that regard that he had taken to
wearing no hat, and was soon about to say that his hair was growing
more thickly than ever in consequence. But it was not quite time for
that yet: it would be inartistic to suggest that just a couple of weeks
of hatlessness had produced so desirable a result.
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