Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0018294, Wed, 6 May 2009 14:56:45 -0300

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Re: THOUGHTS: ardilla in ADA
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AS: ardilla means not only "squirrel", but also "little rogue", "mischievous imp", in Spanish. I wonder if by "that stray ardilla daintily leavesdropping" (see my previous posting) Van doesn't mean Kim Beauharnais, the kitchen boy and photo fiend at Ardis, who spies on him and Ada. Years later Van puts out Kim's shameless eyes (using an alpenstock, not an eyedropper:)

JM: There might be "oedipal" undertones in all these blindings (Oedipus gouged out his eyes, whereas Jocasta hung herself), but, on the part of VN, it would be an "ardilous" trap for a dark laughter...

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