Kerri Pierce's observation of the "missing" line as Kinbote's "way in" neatly compensates the added escape square which affords Kinbote a "way out": King Alfin's old flame Iris Acht (d. 1888), may be seen as translating to Iris Eight, i.e., i8 (or eye-8), in chess notation referring to a square just off the 8x8 board (which only goes up to h8); her irisated photograph hangs above the trapdoor escape that King Charles/Kinbote ("a king-in-the-corner waiter of the solus rex type") uses to evade capture.
Simon Rowberry's observation vis-avis "The Nature of Electricity" provides another clue, though possibly a dead end: This friend numbered 999 may appear in the same-numbered line; not the neighbor's gardener (prior line), but, perhaps, so much depends upon an empty barrow ... (sufficit huic tumulus, cui non suffecerit orbis.)
Best, Dave Haan
[Simon Rowberry sends the following. -- SES]
Kerri Pierce said:
'I believe you also have to look at the function the missing last line fulfills in the novel as a whole. Namely, it allows Kinbote a "way in."'
Doesn't the commentary as a whole, misrepresenting the poem, allow Kinbote a "way in", rather than his suggestion of a final line?
[snip]
As far as Shade's intentions for conclusions, the couplet, 'Man's life as commentary to
abstruse/Unfinished poem. Note for further use' and the mention of 999 as a friend in Shade's poem 'The Nature of Electricity' suggest that, as some people have argued, the poem is intentionally left incomplete.
Best,
Simon
The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. Get busy.