But as evening drew on he felt that, for the success of his experiment, it was necessary that the cover should be removed. It was dangerous, supposing the inspector were to come in unexpectedly and recognise the statue; but he could only trust to fortune for that, and hoped, too, that even if the detective came he would be able to keep him in the outer shop. It was only for one evening, and it was well worth the risk. A foreign gentleman had come in, and the hairdresser found that a fresh wrapper was required, which gave him the excuse he wanted for unveiling the Aphrodite. He looked carefully at the face as he uncovered it, but could discover no speculation as yet in the calm, full gaze of the goddess. The foreign gentleman was inclined to be talkative under treatment, and the conversation came round to public amusements. "In my country," the customer said, without mentioning or betraying what his particular country was--"in my country we have what you have not, places to sit out in the fresh air, and drink a glass of beer, along with the entertainments. You have not that in London?" "Bless your soul, yes," said Leander, who was a true patriot, "plenty of them!" "Oh, I did not aware that; but who?" "Well," said the hairdresser, "there's the Eagle in the City Road, for one; and there's the Surrey Gardens; and there's Rosherwich," he added, after a pause. (The Fisheries Exhibition, it may be said, was as yet unknown.) "And you go there, often?" "I've been to Rosherwich." "Was it goot there--you laike it, eh?" "Well," said Leander, "they tell me it's very gay in the season. P'rhaps I went at the wrong time of the year for it." "What you call wrong time for it?" "Slack--nothing going on," he explained; "like it was when I went last Saturday." "You went last Saturday? And you stay a long time?" "I didn't stay no longer than I could help," Leander said. "All our party was glad to get away." The foreigner had risen to go, when his eyes fell on the Venus in the corner. "You did not stay long, and your party was glad to come away?" he repeated absently. "I am not surprised at that." He gave the hairdresser a long stare as he spoke. "No, I am not surprised.... You have a good taste, my friend; you laike the antique, do you not?" he broke off suddenly. "Ah! you are looking at the Venus, sir," said Leander. "Yes, I'm very partial to it." "It is a taste that costs," his customer said. He looked back over his shoulder as he left the shop, and once more repeated softly, "Yes, it is a taste that costs." "I suppose," Leander reflected as he went back, "it does strike people as queer, my keeping that statue there; but it's only for one evening."