MR wrote: ... what Russian word Vera used to
translate the English word "conjurer"? ... Is it translated as volx
or some form of that word? Since this is fairly esoteric, perhaps
answers should come to me off-list.
JM: To conjure has two different uses: one is
"fairly esoteric" ( a magical invocation or spell, seriously
considered), but the other belongs to the realm of "as if by magic" (
prestidigitation, illusionism) or as in "conjuring... up... a meal or
a poem".
And yet, "conjure" was originally
employed to indicate those very Kinbotean ideas about deceit, binding
oaths, treason, conspiration...
VN might have employed either one
or the other, but at different times and contexts.
I had never thought about a hint
about "treason or deceit" until MR posted the present query to the
list.