Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0010741, Wed, 8 Dec 2004 18:53:22 -0800

Subject
Fwd: Re: TT-25 l'aiguillon rouge
Date
Body


----- Forwarded message from a-nakata@courante.plala.or.jp -----
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 08:19:31 +0900
From: Akiko Nakata <a-nakata@courante.plala.or.jp>

Thank you, Don, for sending the photos and making me aware of that the red
sting could refer to the receptionist's finger and nail polish. It is
interesting that "the red sting" is the only reference to a female nail or
nail polish in TT.

Thanks to Don and M Wells, I think I finally make sense of "the red sting is
l'aiguillon rouge"--it has sounded to me just tautological--as the red sting
of the hawkmoth might fool birds, her red sting signaling HP--she is going
to tell him that he could move to the room 313, i. e., his death--also could
camouflage the fate.

Does anyone know about "flesh is flesh," and "my love would not mind"? I
suspect they come from something old and well-known (perhaps popular then),
but I have no idea.
Akiko
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EDRESPONSE. Unless some soul finds a more immediate source, I wouls assume
that both phrases refer to HP's sexual desire for the pretty receptionist.
Rather than his obsession with the dead Armande he momentarilly lusts for the
living. The "my love would not mind" follows up on this thought with Armande
would not mind if if did have sex with the receptionist.
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----- Original Message -----
From: D. Barton Johnson
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2004 9:17 AM
Subject: TT-25 l'aiguillon rouge


EDNOTE. Akiko tells me that Boyd has recognized the reference to the Sphinx
or Hawkmoth in the phrase. That l'aiguillon rouge specifically refers to the
red horn sticking up on the last segment of the caterpillar. More
immediately, the phrase refers to the receptionist's finger and nail polish
as she signals HP. It is not a stinger. I have not been able to discover
what its function may be. Perhaps a sex attractant?






Chenilles du "Sphinx de l'euphorbe" Celerio euphorbiae (photos M.Besnier
et D.Nussbaum)



Détail de la "corne" de la chenille du "Sphinx de l'euphorbe" (photo
D.Nussbaum)

----- End forwarded message -----
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