Pages 120-136

This page-by-page annotation is organized by sections, as delineated by the seven squares (sprockets) which separate each section. The page numbers for this page-by-page annotation are for the original Viking edition (760 pages). Editions by other publishers vary in pagination — the newer Penguin editions are 776 pages; the Bantam edition is 886 pages.

Contributors: Please use a 760-page edition (either the original Viking edition with the orange cover or the Penguin USA edition with the blue cover and rocket diagram — there are plenty on Ebay for around $10) or search the Google edition for the correct page number. Readers: To calculate the Bantam edition use this formula: Bantam page # x 1.165. Before p.50 it's about a page earlier; as you get later in the book, add a page.

Finally, profound thanks to Prof. Don Larsson for providing the foundation for this page-by-page annotation.

Page 126

126.19 this seventh Christmas of the War
Although Weisenburger declares this a mistake ("a miscount"), upon closer inspection it's actually quite intentional, a sly device to underscore Roger's and Jessica's confusion. They're at sixes and sevens, you see...

Page 128

128.14 join the waits
Leicester's ancient tradition of Town Waits — official musicians who supported the Lord Mayor at civic events, entertained townspeople and feted visitors. The waits were originally guards or watchmen who walked round the town at night looking out for fires or other trouble. They rang bells to tell people the time, or called out '2 o'clock and all's well'. They also played music for the Lord Mayor's guests on big occasions, and entertained the general public. This became their main job. By 1900 the waits' instruments were a cornet, a euphonium, a tenor horn and a trombone. From then, the waits mostly played popular requests for a small fee, which was given to charity. By the 1940s, a request would cost about half a crown (12p). The Leicester Waits were disbanded around 1947. [1]; Picture

Page 129

129.9 Tallis, Thomas (c. 1505–1585)
An English composer. Tallis flourished as a church musician in 16th century Tudor England.

129.9 Purcell, Henry (c. 1659-1695)
An English organist and Baroque composer of secular and sacred music.

129.9 Suso, Heinrich (1295-1336)
German mystic and preacher (Heinrich Seuse in German). His composition In Dulci Jubilo is a German/Latin macaronic carol (Pynchon (mis)dates it as "fifteenth century"); the first verse (of four), can be translated as follows:

Page 131

131.1 ...ein Volk ein Führer...
German: 'one people, one leader'

131.11 Rundstedt offensive
1944's Ardennes offensive, or Battle of the Bulge, was directed by the German field marshal Gerd von Rundstedt (1875-1953).

Page 132

132.11 Mr. Morrison
Herbert Stanley Morrison (1888-1965), British Labour statesman who played a leading role in London local government for 25 years. At this point he was Home Secretary in Churchill's coalition government.

132.16 Alasils
An English brand of pain relievers suggested for 'symptomatic pain generally, rheumatism, fibrositis, lumbago, headache, dysmenorrhoea, dental pain'.

132.20 Eyeties
slang: Italians

132.20 Giovinezza
The anthem of the Italian National Fascist Party; Italian for 'youth'

132.21 Rigoletto
An opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851. It is considered by many to be the first of the operatic masterpieces of Verdi's middle-to-late career.

132.21 La bohème
An opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini. The world premiere performance of La bohème was in Turin on February 1, 1896 at the Teatro Regio and was conducted by the young Arturo Toscanini.

132.29 cioè
Italian: 'that is', 'i.e.'

132.31 mano morto
Italian: dead hand (should be mano morta)

132.32 CBI
China-Burma-India theatre of WWII