It is true that you do not have the luxurious reclining chair, nor the soothing manipulations of a deft artist, nor the delightful hair dressing, and all that. In England you are seated in a common, straight-backed chair, a napkin is adjusted closely about your neck, a dab of soap, three strokes of a bad razor, and you are permitted to staunch the blood and wash off the soap yourself. If you desire your hair dressed, as a very clumsy brushing is called, it is "tuppence extra." In France the operation is the same, only the barber, being always a statesman, talks you to the verge of madness. He knows that you do not understand a word of his language, but he talks on cheerfully just the same, till he is through, and really believes he has entertained you. The German barber does not talk you to death, for he is by nature phlegmatic. He stays by you longer, however, and leaves less of your face to carry away than either the English or French torturer. He wants to earn his money, and he does. The Swiss is less airy than the Frenchman, and more active than the German, for, very likely, he is of both nationalities. He is more careful, likewise. When his razor enters the flesh, he does not slice the whole side of the face off, for his time is not occupied with talk, as is the Frenchman, nor is he so heavy as the German. No, indeed! When he sees that his razor has cut through the skin, and is entering the flesh, he stops right there, and calls your attention to the fact that he has stopped, and claims some credit for not carving off a half pound or more. [Sidenote: BARBERS.] French, German, and Swiss allow you to wash your own face, and comb your own hair, and otherwise fix yourself, but the Swiss is the best of the three. But even in Switzerland, it is better for the tourist if he has his own shaving material, and does it himself. He may cut and scar himself, but he will have some skin left, and may console himself that the cutting was the result of his own lack of skill, and not that of another. [Illustration: THE CONSCIENTIOUS BARBER.] The continental barber has much to learn in the matter of shaving. The English barbers say they would like to adopt the American system, but their English customers will not. I understand it. Their fathers were scarified, and why should they not be? It would be un-English to change. And so they go on with the same straight-backed chairs, the same clumsy contrivances, and they will so go on, till the end of time. The last Englishman will be so shaved, when he might have had comfort and luxury all his life. CHAPTER XXXVII. LAKE THUN AND BEYOND. From Berne to Thun the scenery is less bold and rugged, although the horizon is always filled with great peaks that are to be seen from every quarter.