But were all battling for gain there? Among the many brilliant shops
whose casements shone upon Chepe, there stood one a century back (about
which period our tale opens) devoted to the sale of Colonial produce.
A rudely carved image of a negro, with a fantastic plume and apron of
variegated feathers, decorated the lintel. The East and West had sent
their contributions to replenish the window.
The poor slave had toiled, died perhaps, to produce yon pyramid of
swarthy sugar marked "ONLY 6 1/2d."--That catty box, on which was the
epigraph "STRONG FAMILY CONGO ONLY 3s. 9d," was from the country of
Confutzee--that heap of dark produce bore the legend "TRY OUR REAL
NUT"--'Twas Cocoa--and that nut the Cocoa-nut, whose milk has refreshed
the traveller and perplexed the natural philosopher. The shop in
question was, in a word, a Grocer's.
In the midst of the shop and its gorgeous contents sat one who, to judge
from his appearance (though 'twas a difficult task, as, in sooth, his
back was turned), had just reached that happy period of life when the
Boy is expanding into the Man. O Youth, Youth! Happy and Beautiful! O
fresh and roseate dawn of life; when the dew yet lies on the flowers,
ere they have been scorched and withered by Passion's fiery Sun!
Immersed in thought or study, and indifferent to the din around him, sat
the boy.
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