第1部分(第2/8 页)

f　Dickens　fans　crowded　onto　a　waterfront　dock；　anticipating　the　arrival　of　an　English　ship　with　copies　of　the　final　installment　of　The　Old　Curiosity　Shop　on　board。　According　to　the　story；　several　would…be　readers　were　jostled　into　the　water　and　drowned。

I　don't　think　either　Malcolm。　or　Ralph　wanted　anyone　drowned；　but　they　were　curious　as　to　what　would　happen　if　serial　publication　were　tried　again　today。　Neither　was　immediately　aware　that　it　has　happened　（there　really　is　nothing　new　under　the　sun）　on　at　least　two　occasions。　Tom　Wolfe　published　the　first　draft　of　his　novel　Bonfire　of　the　Vanities　serially　in　Rolling　Stone　magazine；　and　Michael　McDowell　（The　Amulet；　Gilded　Needles；　The　Elementals；　and　the　screenplay　Beetlejuice）　published　a　novel　called　Blackwater　in　paperback　installments。　That　novel　…　a　horror　story　about　a　Southern　family　with　the　unpleasant　familial　trait　of　turning　into　alligators　…　was　not　McDowell's　best；　but　enjoyed　good　success　for　Avon　Books；　all　the　same。

The　two　men　further　speculated　about　what　might　happen　if　a　writer　of　popular　fiction　were　to　try　issuing　a　novel　in　chapbook　editions　today　…　little　paperbacks　that　might　sell　for　a　pound　or　two　in　Britain；　or　perhaps　three　dollars　in　America　（where　most　paperbacks　now　sell　for　6。99　or　7。99）。　Someone　like　Stephen　King　might　make　an　interesting　go　of　such　an　experiment；　Malcolm　said；　and　from　there　the　conversation　moved　on　to　other　topics。

Ralph　more　or　less　forgot　the　idea；　bu