Fra Dickens til mig: ET ÆGTE NUMMER!

Jeg var i Vangsgaards Antikvariat i går eftermiddags for at blive interviewet til Skønlitteratur på P1 på lørdag ved Nanna Mogensen og kollega Klaus Rothstein og fik ikke råbt nær nok op om mit idols ubændige fortræffeligheder, jeg burde aldrig have holdt inde, men så havde de til salg for latterlige 300 kr. pr. stk. (fordi samlingen ikke var komplet) enkelteksemplarer af de 20 månedlige føljetonhæfter Dickens' roman Little Dorrit oprindeligt udkom som 1855-57, og jeg har aldrig troet, jeg kunne komme i nærheden af Dickens-originaludgaver, så jeg har aldrig ledt efter dem i danske antikvariater, men selvfølgelig skulle jeg have mig et af de smukke, blå hæfter og helt umuligt at vælge, ud over at det skulle være 1 med fasthængende forside (nu min Alice lige var faldet totalt fra hinanden), jeg snuppede rimeligt vilkårligt nr. 3, og det er så helt utroligt fint og magisk at holde i sine hænder og ae ganske blidt, inden jeg forsigtigt bladrer mig frem til de hyperrealistiske annoncer, som hæftet indledes med:

EDMISTON'S
CRIMEAN OUTFIT
18 P 18 s
.
Comprising the following requisities for OFFICERS proceeding to the seat of War, viz :-

Waterproof Cape and Hood
      ,,           Camp Boots
      ,,           Ground Sheet
Folding Bedstead
Mattrass and Pair of Blankets
Canteen for Two Persons
Sponging Bath
Bicket and Bason
Brush Case
Lantern
Havresack
Pair of Pack Saddle Trunks, wirh Straps and Slinging Irons complete

Attention is respectfully invited to
EDMISTON'S WATERPROOF WINTER CAPE, WITH HOOD
CAMEL-HAIR LINED

Hæftet indeholder 3 kapitler, IX, X og XI, her begyndelsen på det første, "Little Mother"; tænk at have ventet en hel måned og få fingre i det nye hæfte omsider og grådigt læse løs og vide, at forfatteren skrev manisk videre, mens man sad eller snarere stod og blæstes omkuld:

The morning light was in no hurry to climb the prison wall and look in at the snuggery windows; and when it did come; it would have been more welcome if it had come alone, instead of bringing a rush of rain with it. But the equinoctical gales were blowing out to sea, and the impartial south-west wind in its flight, would not neglect even the narrow Marshalsea (gældsfængslet). While it roared thorough the steeple of Saint George Church, and twirled all the cowls in the neighbourhood, it made a swoop to beat the Southwark smoke into the jail; and, plunging down the chimneys of the few early collegians who were yet lighting their fires, half suffocated them.
  Arthur Clennam would have been little disposed to linger in bed, though his bed had been in a more private situtation, and less affected by the raking out of yesterday's fire, the kindling of today's under the collegiate bowler, the filling of that Spartan vessel at the pump, the sweeping and and sawdusting of the common room, and other such preparations. Heartily glad to see the morning, though little rested by the night, he turned out as soon as he could distinguish objects about him, and paced the yard for two heavy hours before the gates were opened.

TO BE CONTINUED (står der IKKE til sidst i hæftet, det gav sig selv)