I see now that "nine p. m." is a misprint. I forgot that I can always consult the French "Ada ou l'ardeur" and it has "vers neuf heures du matin." So, it should be "nine a. m." after all.

As to V. D. Nabokov's birthday, it can be found not only in Robert Browder's book, but also in Speak, Memory, p. 135 of the Penguin edition. By the way, I never stated that VDN's birthday was July 21.

----- Original Message -----

From: Alexey Sklyarenko

To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum

Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 5:47 PM

Subject: textual query re ADA

I have a small question about a possible misprint in ADA. The fourth paragraph of chapter 10, Part Two, begins as follows:

"Next day, February 5, around nine p. m., Manhattan (winter) time, on the way to Dan's lawyer, Demon noted - just as he was about to cross Alexis Avenue, an ancient but insignificant acqaintance, Mrs. Arfour, advancing toward him, with her toy terrier, along his side of the street."

Is not "p. m." a misprint? Perhaps it should be "a. m."? The text that follows suggests that the day is only beginning, so it is not evening yet. We know that Ada at twenty was a long morning sleeper, but would she sleep till nine p. m. (and then have breakfast with Van around midnight)? I can't believe it, unless, of course, the p. m. hours in the city of Mad Hatters (symptomatically, Demon wears no hat) mean, at least, in winter, a morning, and the a. m. hours, an evening. Can you please clarify this for me. Thank you in advance.