Chapter 7

           ItwaswhilepassingthroughMoulseyLockthatHarristoldmeabouthismazeexperience. Ittookussometimetopassthrough,asweweretheonlyboat,anditisabiglock. Idon’tthinkIeverremembertohaveseenMoulseyLock,before,withonlyoneboatinit. Itis,Isuppose,Boulter’snotevenexcepted,thebusiestlockontheriver. 

           Ihavestoodandwatchedit,sometimes,whenyoucouldnotseeanywateratall,butonlyabrillianttangleofbrightblazers,andgaycaps,andsaucyhats,andmany-colouredparasols,andsilkenrugs,andcloaks,andstreamingribbons,anddaintywhites; whenlookingdownintothelockfromthequay,youmightfancyitwasahugeboxintowhichflowersofeveryhueandshadehadbeenthrownpell-mell,andlaypiledupinarainbowheap,thatcoveredeverycorner. 

           OnafineSundayitpresentsthisappearancenearlyalldaylong,while,upthestream,anddownthestream,lie,waitingtheirturn,outsidethegates,longlinesofstillmoreboats;andboatsaredrawingnearandpassingaway,sothatthesunnyriver,fromthePalaceuptoHamptonChurch,isdottedanddeckedwithyellow,andblue,andorange,andwhite,andred,andpink. AlltheinhabitantsofHamptonandMoulseydressthemselvesupinboatingcostume,andcomeandmouchroundthelockwiththeirdogs,andflirt,andsmoke,andwatchtheboats; and,altogether,whatwiththecapsandjacketsofthemen,theprettycoloureddressesofthewomen,theexciteddogs,themovingboats,thewhitesails,thepleasantlandscape,andthesparklingwater,itisoneofthegayestsightsIknowofnearthisdulloldLondontown. 

           Theriveraffordsagoodopportunityfordress. Foronceinaway,wemenareabletoshowourtasteincolours,andIthinkwecomeoutverynatty,ifyouaskme. Ialwayslikealittleredinmythings—redandblack.