The most dramatic first chapter among all 19th century novels?

Could there be any literary fiction from the 19th century that begins more dramatically than Crime and Punishment? Against all expectations, F Dostoevsky begins C&P at a point that in most novels would be 100 pages or so into the text: the protagonist, Raskolnikov, has already plotted in his mind the murder of the pawnbroker and in this first chapter we meet him as he's heading over to the dwelling of his intended victim. There's no backstory, no long explanation of motive, no detailed scene-setting, no rumination, little topical description - just a character on his way to the site where he intends to commit a murder. On the way, we get a sense of the environment: really hot and sultry,  crowded streets, tiny almost suffocating dwellings. And we get a sense of R's mind at work: Someone in passing remarks on his hat, which makes him realize that he can't where such a distinctive item of clothing or he will be remembered by potential witnesses. We see the pawnbroker's apartment - R takes note of who's present in the crowded building and in particular on her floor. We see him in his frenzied and troubled negotiations w/ her about the value of a few items he wants to pawn; she's tough and unrelenting (tho she calls him "Dearie") and won't back off on her interest charges etc. He leaves minus a watch and with a few kopeks and walks into a dingy tavern for a beer, so we get a sense, with dwelling on the topic, of his weaknesses and perverse priorities. What a start to a great novel!