C. Kunin: Jansy's quote recalls General MacArthur's famous remark "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away." Part of his resignation speech I believe. Was Shade perhaps suggesting that Kinbote abdicate? Of course he would have done this tongue-in-cheek as he knew there was no Zembla, or any king thereof. I wonder too, perhaps someone knows, if MacArthur was making reference to an earlier quote?
Jansy Mello:
The 2006 VN-L archive reply for this quote suggests that the related lines ("Old soldiers never die; they only fade away") were said by “General Patton to Congress, upon being recalled to the U.S. and asked to step down, after his over-ambitious campaign to continue the Korean War." It is signed "Andrew" and I couldn't find his full name there, I think it must have been Andrew Brown.
How about considering that Shade would be expressing his hope that Kinbote should get over his delusions related to Charles, II and Zembla? ( Nevertheless, I cannot forget that it was CK himself who penned the dialogue).