Hello, Carolyn and Anthony
 
There are levels of misteries in Conan Doyle´s short-story, presented as an excerpt from a diary written by the son of Dr.John M. Ray Senior.
 
Since the diary-writer is a medical student, in time he would also become John Ray Jr, MD - like Lolita´s psychiatrist who divulges HH´s manuscript - were it not for the intervening M´Alister. 
Young John Ray apparently survived his adventure with madness and ghosts.  Why then is his diary presented by his father and why was the latter in the position to prohibit or to authorize its publication?
 
I didn´t solve Doyle´s puzzle concerning the structuring of his short-story, but it might offer a clue for "Lolita"  when we consider Dr.John Ray Jr´s use of HH´s manuscript ( some readers think that HH and John Ray are one, or that HH and Quilty are one, etc ) and the storie´s mad captain, his medically-minded companion and Dr.John M´Alister Ray, father.
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Donald B. Johnson
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 3:17 PM
Subject: Fwd: Re: John Ray Jr & Conan Doyle



----- Forwarded message from STADLEN@aol.com -----
    Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 14:02:49 EDT
    From: STADLEN@aol.com
Reply-To: STADLEN@aol.com
 Subject: Re: John Ray Jr & Conan Doyle
      To:

In a message dated 22/08/2005 18:16:05 GMT Standard Time,
chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu writes:

> I wonder if the name M'Alister appears in Lolita?
>

I'd bet No, but I could be wrong.

Anthony Stadlen

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


In a message dated 22/08/2005 18:16:05 GMT Standard Time, chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu writes:

I wonder if the name M'Alister appears in Lolita?


I'd bet No, but I could be wrong.

Anthony Stadlen