Annotations by Alexey Sklyarenko

In an interview to Alfred Appel (included in Strong Opinions, 1974) VN says that the Zemblan crown jewels (vainly looked for by the two Soviet experts) are hidden in the ruins of some old barracks near Kobaltana:

And as a closing question, sir, may I return to Pale Fire: where, please, are the crown jewels hidden?

In the ruins, sir, of some old barracks near Kobaltana (q.v.); but do not tell it to the Russians.

According to Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969), in her tight rubber cap Lucette (Van’s and Ada’s half-sister) evokes the Helmeted Angel of the Yukonsk Ikon whose magic effect is said to change anemic blond maidens into konskie deti, freckled red-haired lads, children of the Sun Horse:

Describing Ardis Hall, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions cobalt sailing boats that adorn the white tiles of a stove:

In his Commentary and Index to Shade’s poem Kinbote (in VN’s novel Pale Fire, 1962, Shade’s mad commentator who imagines that he is Charles the Beloved, the last self-exiled king of Zembla) mentions Kalixhaven, a colorful seaport on the western coast, a few miles north of Blawick:

In his Index to Shade’s poem Kinbote (in VN’s novel Pale Fire, 1962, Shade’s mad commentator who imagines that he is Charles the Beloved, the last self-exiled king of Zembla) mentions Kobaltana (in Kinbote’s Index the entry Kobaltana immediately follows the entry Kinbote, Charles, Dr):

Describing Villa Venus (Eric Veen’s floramors), Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions Eric’s grandfather David van Veen, a wealthy architect of Flemish extraction who built one hundred memorial floramors (palatial brothels) all over the world:

According to Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969), Blanche (the French handmaid at Ardis) called Ada “Van’s avournine:”

At the beginning of Ada’s last chapter Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions Nirvana, Nevada and Vaniada:

In one of her letters to Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) written after Van left Ardis forever Ada admits that she is being coy and obscene:

[California? 1890]

In a humorous quatrain quoted by Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) ‘Black Miller’ mentions a new bambino: