Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0011333, Sat, 16 Apr 2005 10:48:45 -0700

Subject
Re: Fwd: List on 222, 313 and 410, 412 or even 414
Date
Body
Hi there,

When I looked at the number 222 Jansy wrote and her TT illustration,
it struck me, that 222 looks like three swans swimming in single
file.

So, maybe Marina stayed at Les Trois Cygnes while in Switzerland,
other than living in 'chalets'?

Best,
Tomasz

> Sometime ago there was a posting inquiring about Ada´s reference to room
number
> 222.

> 'I had hoped you'd sleep here,' said Marina (not really caring one way or
> another). 'What is your room number at the hotel - not 222 by any chance?'She
> liked romantic coincidences. Demon consulted the tag on his key: 221 - which
> was good enough, fatidically and anecdotically speaking.

> At that time I could only recall Transparent Things where we find 313 ( number
> one held as a prisoner ):

> He saw a very black 313 on a very white door and recalled instantly how he had
> told Armande (who had promised to visit him and did not wish to be announced):
> "Mnemonically it should be imagined as three little figures in profile, a
> prisoner passing by with one guard in front of him and another behind." (
> Transparent Things ).

> Now I can forward, again from Ada, a reference to 414.

> He left the balcony and ran down a short spiral staircase to the fourth floor.
> In the pit of his stomach there sat the suspicion that it might not be room
> 410, as he conjectured, but 412 or even 414, What would happen if she had not
> understood, was not on the lookout? She had, she was.

> I remember that a connection between number 222 was made to the "two to two
> train to Toulouse" ( quite fascinating!). But all these numbers continue to
> puzzle me.

> Thanks, Jansy

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