about half past ten
was completely unaware that the whole of Riseholme knew that the smooth chestnut locks which covered the top of his head , were trained like the tendrils of a grapevine from the roots , and flowed like a river over a bare head , and consequently when Mr Holroyd explained the proposed innovation , a little central wig , the edges of which would mingle in the most natural manner with his own hair , it seemed to Georgie that nobody would know the difference . In addition he would be spared those risky moments when he had to take off his hat to a friend in a high wind , for there was always the danger of his hair blowing away from the top of his head , and hanging down , like the tresses of a Rhine-maiden over one shoulder . So Mr Holroyd was commissioned to put that little affair in hand at once , and when the greyness had been attended to , and Georgie had had his dinner , there came hot towels and tappings on his face , and other ministrations . All was done about half past ten , and when he came downstairs again for a short practice at the bass part of Beethoven 's fifth symphony , ingeniously arranged for two performers on the piano , he looked with sincere satisfaction at his rosy face in the Cromwellian mirror , and his shoes felt quite comfortable again , and his nails shone like pink stars , as his hands dashed wildly about the piano in the quicker passages . But all the time the thought of the Guru next door , under whose tuition he might be able to regain his youth without recourse to those expensive subterfuges -LRB- for the price of the undetectable _ toupet _ astonished him -RRB- rang in his head with a melody more haunting than Beethoven 's . What he would have liked best of all would have been to have the Guru all to himself , so that he should remain perpetually young , while all the rest of Riseholme , including Hermy and Ursy , grew old . Then , indeed , he would be king of the place , instead of serving the interests of its queen .