Ashley MS 2958

'Suspense': an unfinished novel by Joseph Conrad; 1922-1924. Typescript, dictated by Conrad and with revisions, deletions and corrections in his hand, written on one side only of three hundred and twenty-seven large quarto leaves of white laid paper and on both sides of two more of the same (ff. 312, 313). Watermark 'Original / Chartham Mills / Kent'. For a description of Conrad's modus operandi, see 2946, ff. ii, iib, iv, ivb.

The typescript is entitled '(the "Mediterranean Novel")' at the head of f. 1. This title is written above the deleted typewritten title 'THE ISLAND OF [REST?]'. On f. 23 is the deleted title 'The Isle of [Rest?]'. Conrad has written notes at the beginning of all the chapters and at the end of several of them. Many of the notes consist merely of signed statements, written presumably for the benefit of T. J. Wise, that the typescript is the first draft. There are three deleted notes to his secretary concerning the production of copies of the typescript (ff. 42, 157, 193). With a few exceptions, the remainder of the notes concern the division of the novel into parts and chapters. Conrad has written 'Part First' on ff. 1 and 23 at the beginning of chapters I and II, and 'End of II' (in blue pencil) and 'part one' on f. 41 at the end of chapter II. On ff. 46 and 58 at the beginnings of chapters III and IV he has written 'part I'. On f. 73 he has written 'Part Two', although this was already in the typescript. He has written 'part two' or 'Part second' on ff. 90, 126, 157, 193, at the beginning of chapters II-IV, and part of the way through chapter VI, at a point where he had written instructions, later deleted, to his secretary 'to be copied and returned'. On f. 156, at the end of chapter III, he has written 'end of III. p. II.'. On f. 167 he has noted 'End of chp IV', and has written 'V' on f. 168 at the beginning of chapter V. There is no typewritten chapter number here, and the typescript begins at the top of the page. On f. 185 Conrad has written 'End of V pt II', and on f. 186 'VI' at the beginning of chapter VI. Once again there was originally no typewritten chapter number here, and the typescript begins at the top of the page.

At the head of f. 229, the beginning of Part III, chapter I, Conrad has written 'JC 1st Jany 23'. On f. 247 he has noted 'end I. part III'. On f. 248 he has added 'II' and 'Part. III'. There is no typewritten chapter number here, and the typescript begins at the head of the page. On f. 262 he has noted 'end of II. (Part III)', and on f. 263 has emended the typewritten chapter number 'II' to 'III', and has added 'Part. 3.'.

In addition to these notes, on f. 84b Conrad has written 'This set presented to Desmond Bevan with friendly regards and best wishes by', and in the top left hand corner of f. 263 are what appear to be two names written in pencil 'Elena' and 'Catina'. There are doodles by Conrad on ff. 25b, 26, 26b.

The typescript is foliated in type as follows:― ff. 2-124: 2-124; ff. 125-247: 126-248; ff. 248-253: 247-252; ff. 255-259: 257-261; ff. 263-270: 264-271; ff. 275-301: 286-312; f. 302: 312 ('a' added in pencil); f. 303: 316; ff. 304-312: 315-322 (315 has the '5' typed over '6'); f. 313b: 324; ff. 314-317: 325-328; ff. 319-330: 330-341. Conrad has emended and added to the typed foliation as follows:― on f. 124 he has added '+125' in blue ink; typed 247-252 emended in black ink to 249-254; f. 254 has no typed number, but is numbered 255 in black ink; typed 257-261 emended in black ink to 256-260; f. 260 has no typed number, but is numbered 261 in black ink; f. 261 has no typed number, but is numbered 262, altered from 261, in black ink; f. 262 has no typed number, but is numbered 263 in black ink; ff. 271-274 are numbered 272-275 in black ink only; typed 286-312 emended in black ink to 276-302; typed 312a emended in black ink to 302 (bis); typed 316 emended in black ink to 303; f. 304 has no typed number, but is numbered 304, altered from 314, in black ink; typed 315-322 emended in black ink to 305-312; f. 313 has no typed number, but is numbered 313 in black ink (the text on f. 313a is written by hand on what was originally the verso of a leaf numbered 324 in typescript, but altered in black ink to 314. The text on f. 313b is typewritten, revised in black ink); typed 325-328 emended in black ink to 315-318; f. 318 has no typed number, but is numbered 319, altered from 329, in blue pencil; typed 330-341 emended in black ink to 320-331.

There are deletions, corrections and revisions by Conrad on every page of the typescript, except ff. 315-318. There are almost none on ff. 321-330. There are deletions in blue crayon, and revisions, additions etc. in black ink throughout. There are deletions in red crayon on ff. 4, 196 and 329, and deletions, notes, revisions etc. in blue ink on ff. 23-29, 31, 36, 39, 40, 90, 120, 123, 126, 131, 132, 136-138, 146, 149, 154. There are deletions and revisions in lead pencil on ff. 276 and 309. The following entire pages of text have been cancelled: f. 28 in blue ink, f. 320 in blue pencil. The text on ff. 263-270 and 309-313 are so heavily revised as to be almost entirely rewritten.

In a letter to T. J. Wise dated 9 July 1920 Conrad says that he has begun work on a new novel [Suspense], but according to the title page of this MS. (f. ii) it dates from 1922-1924. He was still at work on it at his death (G. Jean-Aubry, Joseph Conrad Life and Letters, ii, 1927, pp. 166, 348).

The unfinished novel is printed in Suspense, 1925, from a text not identical either with the original typescript or with the revised text as found in this MS. Ashley Library Catalogue, viii, p. 128.

Quarto; ff. ii+330.

Joseph Conrad, alias Teodor Jósef Konrad Korzeniowski, novelist: Fiction: Novel, 'Suspense', by Joseph Conrad: 1922-1924: Typescript with autogr. revisions and corrections.