Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0003411, Sat, 10 Oct 1998 11:24:11 -0700

Subject
Van and Ada meet in the woods. (fwd)
Date
Body
From: John Rea <jarea@uky.campus.mci.net>



Rereading the part where Van is leaving Ardis after his first long visit
there and with Ada, and stops along the way, meeting her in the woods, I
was reminded of an incident from "Chievrefoil", based on the Tristan &
Isolde material.

Tristram (sic in Rychner's CFMA edition) was concealed in a wood when
Isolt comes along the road. The two of them have a secret code by which
they communicate, and as a result of such a secret message Isolt has her
escort stop, she dismounts and enters the wood, "within the wood she
found that one whom she loved more than any living thing. Between them
they transacted very great joy.... But when it came to separating, then
they began to weep."

I like the little details about the secret code, one of the couple
riding horseback along the road, the lovers meeting in the wood for a
little "fun", the tears at the end. Would VN not have appreciated this
"coincidence"? If you can handle the Old French, I suggest you read
it. (I don't know if Bedier includes this in his composite
modernization, which has been translated into English.) Enjoy!

John