Annotations by Alexey Sklyarenko

In his apologetic note to Lucette (in VN's novel Ada, 1969, Van's and Ada's half-sister) written after the dinner in ‘Ursus’ and debauch à trois in Van’s Manhattan flat Van says "we apollo" (meaning that he and Ada apologize for coaxing Lucette into their lovemaking):

Van walked over to a monastic lectern that he had acquired for writing in the vertical position of vertebrate thought and wrote what follows:

Poor L. 

At the end of his Commentary 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) says that, history permitting, he may sail back to his recovered kingdom, and with a great sob greet the gray coastline and the gleam of a roof in the rain:

At the patio party in "Ardis the Second" Ada tells Pedro (in VN's novel Ada, 1969, a young Latin actor whom Van's, Ada's and Lucette's mother Marina had brought from Mexico) "On ne parle pas comme ça devant un chien" ("one does not speak like that in front of a dog"):

In VN’s novel Ada (1969) Demon Veen (Van’s and Ada’s father) hopes that Cordula de Prey will recompense Van for playing Blindman’s Buff all summer with the babes of Ardis Wood (Ada and Lucette):

One of the three blind characters in VN's novel Ada (1969) is a certain Spencer Muldoon:

A teasy problem demanded Dr Veen’s presence in England.

Describing his suicide attempt, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN's novel Ada, 1969) mentions his Thunderbolt pistol:

On Admiral Tobakoff Lucette (in VN's novel Ada, 1969, Van's and Ada's half-sister) is reading Herb's diary published by his last duchess:

She returned after a brief swim to the sun terrace where Van lay and said:

Describing his performance in variety shows as Mascodagama (when he dances tango on his hands), Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN's novel Ada, 1969) mentions the Ladore, Ladoga, Laguna, Lugano and Luga papers:

Describing Lucette's visit to Kingston, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN's novel Ada, 1969) mentions old Rattner, resident pessimist of genius:

Describing Lucette's visit to Kingston, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN's novel Ada, 1969) says that he liked to change his abode at the end of a section or chapter or even paragraph: