An older version of Webster's gives the fourth definition of "fountain" as "In heraldry, a circle called a roundel, divided into six spaces by waved lines across the shield, and tinctured argent and azure." Then under "argent" we find "silvery; of a pale white, or bright like silver." (The Oxford online edition gives similar definitions, only it substitutes "white and blue" for "argent and azure.")
In a separate issue, I've been wondering about Kinbote's use of the non-Metric measuring system. (eg, "...'one inch per hour...'" on page 129; "The pedometer had tocked off 1,888 yards..." page 127, etc.) Is there an explanation of this somewhere in the book, or elsewhere?
-Will
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