So I tied up my boat as soon as I came to some
steps, and landed and left the Embankment, and about the third street
I came to I began to look for the opening of Go-by Street; it is very
narrow, you hardly notice it at first, but there it was, and soon I
was in the old man's shop. But a young man leaned over the counter.
He had no information to give me about the old man--he was sufficient
in himself. As to the little old door in the back of the shop, "We
know nothing about that, sir." So I had to talk to him and humour
him. He had for sale on the counter an instrument for picking up a
lump of sugar in a new way. He was pleased when I looked at it and he
began to praise it. I asked him what was the use of it, and he said
that it was of no use but that it had only been invented a week ago
and was quite new and was made of real silver and was being very much
bought. But all the while I was straying towards the back of the
shop. When I enquired about the idols there he said that they were
some of the season's novelties and were a choice selection of mascots;
and while I made a pretence of selecting one I suddenly saw the
wonderful old door. I was through it at once and the young
shop-keeper after me. No one was more surprised than he when he saw
the street of grass and the purple flowers on it; he ran across in his
frock-coat on to the opposite pavement and only just stopped in time,
for the world ended there.
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