Annotations by Alexey Sklyarenko

Describing the first occasion on which Ada had glimpsed him, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN's novel Ada, 1969) mentions Bagrov's grandson (a neighbor's boy) and Rose’s purloined lipstick that Marina (Van's, Ada's and Lucette's mother) tossed out k chertyam sobach’im (to hell’s hounds):

In the first version of his letter to Demon Veen (in VN's novel Ada, 1969, Van's and Ada's father) Van says that Captain Tapper, of Wild Violet Lodge (Van's adversary in a pistol duel), may be the chap who was thrown out of one of Demon's gaming clubs for attempting oral intercourse with the washroom attendant, a toothless old cripple, veteran of the first Crimean War:

According to Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969), the novelistic theme of written communications really gets into its stride when he finds an anonymous note in the heart pocket of his dinner jacket:

Showing to Van Ardis Hall, Ada (the title character of a novel, 1969, by VN) mentions a secret passage that leads to a front hall:

Describing one of his last days at Ardis, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions the remote dreamy rhythm of Blanche’s ‘linen-folding’ voice humming ‘Malbrough’ (...ne sait quand reviendra, ne sait quand reviendra):

Describing the first time he saw Ada, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions Bagrov’s grandson, a neighbor’s boy, whom he teased and pinched and made horrible fun of, a nice quiet little fellow who quietly massacred moles and anything else with fur on:

Describing the first time he saw Ada, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions Bagrov’s grandson, a neighbor’s boy, whom he teased and pinched and made horrible fun of, a nice quiet little fellow who quietly massacred moles and anything else with fur on:

Describing his performance in variety shows as Mascodagama, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions his cap acting as a pseudopodal pad:

Describing his performance in variety shows as Mascodagama, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions his cap acting as a pseudopodal pad:

In Canto One of his poem John Shade (the poet in VN’s novel Pale Fire, 1962) says that, when he was a child, all colors made him happy, even gray:

All colors made me happy: even gray.

My eyes were such that literally they

Took photographs. Whenever I'd permit,

Or, with a silent shiver, order it,

Whatever in my field of vision dwelt -

An indoor scene, hickory leaves, the svelte

Stilettos of a frozen stillicide -

Was printed on my eyelids' nether side