from Alexey Sklyarenko:
I notice that 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:)