Question
Which novel begins with this paragraph?
"London...Implacable November weather. As much mud on the streets, as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so, waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill. Smoke lowering down from the chimney-pots, making a soft black drizzle, with flakes of soot in it as big as full-grown snow-flakes - gone into mourning, one might imagine, for the death of the sun. Dogs, indistinguishable in mire. Horses, scarcely better; splashed to their very blinkers. Foot passengers, jostling one another's umbrellas, in a general infection of ill-temper, and losing their foot-hold at street-corners, where tens of thousands of other foot passengers have been slipping and sliding since the day broke (if the day ever broke), adding new deposits to the crust upon crust of mud, sticking at those points most tenaciously to the pavement, and accumulating at compound interest."
10 Comments:
I love a quiz. Is it Bleak House; Charles Dickens?
Congratulations, Mary! You win a virtual bottle of champagne. It's a shame you can't make the bloggers' lunch - I'd have brought you a prize. Next time you're in London...
To my shame I have to admit never having read a single book by Dickens. Absolument rien.
Something to look forward to, ED. You could try A Tale of Two Cities for the French/English interest?
I love Bleak House and Dickens. Have you ever visited Dickens' House in London, it is just around the corner from the 18 Doughty Street studio. It is fantastic, I recommend it.
Not long till next week's lunch. I'm trying to plan to meet someone else for a business meeting afterwards. I don't want to rush away, is the room booked for a set time? I was thinking of late afternoon. Can you please tell me who else is expected?
Hi Ellee - I haven't been there. I'd love to see it. Looking forward to our lunch. I've booked a table for 5 in the Wellington Room so there'll just be us, King Lear and his daughter and Wife in the North. I imagine it'll finish by 2.30pm.
Thanks WW, I must visit King Lear's site and familiarise myself with him. What a treat to meet Wife in the North too.
WW, don't forget to suggest dinner/lunch chez Vincent in Brussels sometime early next year. I am so sad not to be able to join you in London. The Eurostar will depart from St Pancras that day.
ED - yes I shall certainly mention that. I'm sorry you can't join us but hope to reconvene in Brussels next year.
I thought it was Dickens but couldn't place the book. Isn't it wonderful? Clever MM!
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