shop-door had been locked, bolted, and
barred, and, down to the period of our story, had probably never once
been opened. The old counter, shelves, and other fixtures of the
little shop remained just as he had left them. It used to be affirmed,
that the dead shopkeeper, in a white wig, a faded velvet coat, an apron
at his waist, and his ruffles carefully turned back from his wrists,
might be seen through the chinks of the shutters, any night of the
year, ransacking his till, or poring over the dingy pages of his
day-book. From the look of unutterable woe upon his face, it appeared
to be his doom to spend eternity in a vain effort to make his accounts
balance.

And now--in a very humble way, as will be seen--we proceed to open our
narrative.

(_House of the Seven Gables_.)

{144}

WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY 1811-1863

DENIS DUVAL'S FIRST JOURNEY TO LONDON

At Michaelmas, in the year 1776 (I promise you I remember the year), my
dear and kind friend, Doctor Barnard, having to go to London with his
rents, proposed to take me to London to see my other patron, Sir Peter
Denis, between whom and the Doctor there was a great friendship; and it
is to those dear friends that I owe the great good fortune which has
since befallen me in life. Indeed, when I think of what I might have
been, of what I have escaped, my heart is full of thankfulness for the
great mercies which have fallen to my share. Well, at this happy and
eventful Michaelmas of 1776, Doctor Barnard says to me, "Denis, my
child, if thy mother will grant leave, I have a mind to take thee to
see thy god-father, Sir Peter Denis, in London. I am going up with my
rents, my neighbour Weston will share the horses with me, and thou
shall see the Tower and Mr Salmon's wax-work before thou art a week
older."

You may suppose that this proposition made Master Denis Duval jump for
joy. Of course I had heard of London all my life, and talked with
people who had been there, but that I should go myself to Admiral Sir
Peter Denis's house, and see the play, St Paul's and Mr Salmon's, here
was a height of bliss I had never hoped to attain. I could not sleep
for thinking of my pleasure; I had {145} some money, and I promised to
buy as many toys for Agnes as the Chevalier used to bring her. My
mother said I should go like a gentleman, and turned me out in a red
waistcoat with plate buttons, a cock to my hat, and ruffles to my
shirts. How I counted the hours of