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Subject: Kevindex: TWO GEORGES annotations here in ASCII
From: Kevin Lauderdale <kxl@camis.stanford.edu>
Date: 1996/08/12
Message-ID: <4uo6av$ijk@nntp.Stanford.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.books
[More Headers]
[Subscribe to rec.arts.books]
I received some e-mail asking me to make my annotations to THE TWO
GEORGES available as ASCII here in the newsgroups.
I am happy to oblige.
-Kevin Lauderdale
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----
An Annotated Guide to THE TWO GEORGES
by Richard Dreyfuss and Harry Turtledove
First edition, Published by Tor Books, Publication date: March 1, 1996,
ISBN: 0312859694
This guide by Kevin Lauderdale
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Abbreviations: IOW (in our world), AR (American Revolution), 2G (THE TWO
GEORGES)
Page
13
[Victoria] IOW, Washington, DC, here named after Queen Victoria
rather
than George Washington.
[King-Emperor Edward VIII] IOW, Edward VIII reigned shortly in 1936,
but abdicated in order to marry Mrs. Wallis Simpson.
14
[Archbishop of Canterbury] Head of the Church of England. See also 19
(below).
[Nueva Espana] IOW, Mexico.
[seven and sixpence] 7 shillings and 6 pence. Bushell gave 10
shillings
(half a pound) got back half a crown (2.5 shillings). Who knows how
much this is supposed to be. In the 1970's, the UK switched from
their
system of pounds, sovereigns, shillings, etc. to the decimal system
with just pounds and pence, like the US. Today, a pound is roughly
$1.50. There are 20 shillings in a pound, so "7 and 6" is around
$0.40
(a drink on a plane IOW costs around $4). Of course, in 2G there are
no
exchange rates and an unknown (if any) rate of inflation. Perhaps
prices have simply remained the same for 50 years.
[privy council] A group of advisors to the King.
15
[Upper California Limited] The name of airship they are on. IOW, in
the
days when train travel was the fastest method, many trains had names.
"Upper California" refers to California as we know it IOW. "Lower
California" in 2G is today's "Baja California," part of Mexico.
[Fred Harvey] In the late 1870's, railroad businessman Fred Harvey
struck a deal with the Santa Fe Railroad to provide quality food in a
quality setting to railroad passengers. His lunchrooms ("Harvey
Houses") and dining cars were so popular that within a decade there
was
a was a Harvey business every one hundred miles along the Santa Fe
route from Kansas to California. A Fred Harvey meal meant fresh, good
food served on linen and with silver and china (See the 1940 film,
THE
HARVEY GIRLS).
[Claridge's] One of the finest hotels in London.
[sommolier] Wine steward.
16
[lucifer] British slang for "match stick", due to the sulfur and fire
associated with the devil. Also, "lucifer" means "light-bringer."
17
[coronium] IOW, helium. When first discovered by studying solar
radiation, it was thought this was a new element found only in the sun's
corona; hence, coronium.
[I can feel it in the air] Even in the relatively agricultural Los
Angeles of 2G, there is still smog. It's due to the valley trapping the
air.
[macadam] A pavement made from broken stone and tar.
18
[the jakes] British slang term for "toilet." This use is at least as
old as Shakespeare.
[boot] British for "automobile trunk."
19
[Anglican] Anglicanism is the official state religion of England. The
"Church of England" was spun off from Catholicism ("the Church of Rome")
in
the 1530's by King Henry VIII so that he could divorce Catherine of Aragon
and marry Anne Boleyn (see the 1966 film A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS). IOW,
Anglicanism in the U.S. is "Episcopalianism." Around the time of the AR,
British terms fell out of favor, and Ang. became E. In the world of the
2G,
the term remained.
20
[rate payers] In Britain, taxes are called "rates," hence "tax
payers."
21
[Oxonian] A graduate of England's Oxford University.
22
[scrambled eggs] The design on military clothing that is yellow and
looks like laurel leaves -- or scrambled eggs.
23
[Franklin] IOW, roughly Kentucky and part of West Virginia. Named, no
doubt, for Benjamin Franklin, inventor, printer, writer, and, IOW,
patriot.
[televisor] IOW, television.
[wireless] British term for "radio," so called because radio signals
travel through the air, not through a wire.
24
[Sons of Liberty] IOW, a secret group formed after the Stamp Act was
passed in 1765 to fight British taxes (see Esther Forbes' 1943 book,
JOHNNY
TREMAIN).
[Washingtons and Wrightmobiles] "Washingtons" may be our world's
"Lincolns". IOW, Wilbur and Orville Wright were bike mechanics who
invented
the airplane. In 2G, they apparently had a lot to do with autos.
[Tricky Dick] Richard M. Nixon. IOW, president of the United States
(1969-74) was known by this nickname due to the many accusations which
called his honesty into question throughout his political career. In 2G,
he
is a used car salesman -- an occupation known for their untrustworthiness.
25
[long, swooping nose] Nixon was known for this feature.
[or I'm a Dutchman] In the 1600's, the Dutch-Anglo rivalry gave
horrible connotations to all things Dutch. "Or I'm a Dutchman" is
equivalent
to "If I'm wrong, I'll eat my hat."
[Let me say this to you] Nixon frequently used the phrase "let me say
this . . . ."
[Drake Room] Undoubtedly named for Sir Francis Drake, who was a
sailor
and privateer under Queen Elizabeth I, and who helped to defeat the
Spanish
Armada which sailed in 1588 in hopes of invading England.
27
[damned Irish hooligans] In both 2G and IOW, the Irish are treated
very
poorly by the British. They are held to be both lazy and shiftless.
28
[Cardigan room] Undoubtedly named for the 7th Earl of Cardigan, who,
along with his troops in the Crimean War (1854 - 56), wore a special type
of
sweater which now bares his name.
28
[Are armed guards really necessary?] IOW, it is only recently that
British police have started carrying guns. For the longest time, there was
no need for them to since criminals didn't have them either. In the world
of
the 2G, this still seems to be the case.
30
[Tories and Whigs] In British politics, a Tory is a conservative who
seeks to limit Parliamentary power. During the AR, they fought against
American Independence. Whigs are more liberal, seeking to limit royal
powers
in favor of a strong Parliament. They stood with the revolutionaries.
32
[God damn those sons of bitches] From the very beginning of his
career,
Nixon's language was frequently profane.
[plain, cloth coat] During the 1952 presidential campaign, for which
Nixon was the Republican vice-presidential candidate, Nixon gave a speech
answering charges that he and his family had received expensive gifts. He
denied these charges, saying that his wife Pat didn't own a mink coat, but
rather "a respectable, Republican cloth coat." He said that he would not
return a gift given to his children, a little dog called "Checkers." This
is
commonly referred to as "The Checkers Speech."
[tasteless but potent spirit] Vodka.
33
[they were both speaking French] One of Catherine The Great's
(Russian
Empress, reigned from 1762-96) social reforms was making French the
official
language of her court.
[they don't have Honest Dick to kick around] IOW, after losing the
1962
California governor's race to Pat Brown, Nixon told the press "you won't
have Nixon to kick around anymore.''
36
[lorry] British for "truck."
[White slave trade] Forced prostitution of women, not necessarily
white.
37
[Rugby three-quarterback] Players behind the half-backs in Rugby
football.
[concertina] A small accordion, a squeeze box.
39
[Yankee Doodle] A popular American tune dating to before the AR. The
1942 film YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, about dancer, actor, and writer George M.
Cohan, has other references in 2G: 115 (the loyal Irishman) and 384 (proud
to be an American after receiving an honor).
43
[Ottoman protectorates] IOW, the Middle East. The Ottoman (Turkish)
Empire once stretched from the Mediterranean to Eastern Europe. By World
War
I, it had crumbled to "the sick old man of Europe."
[offering to buy Alaska] IOW, in 1867, the U.S. bought Alaska from
Russia for $7,200,000.
44
[PLassey 4728] Before there were so many people that we needed
7-digit
phone numbers, we only had 6-digit ones. The first two weren't even
numbers,
they were letters, which began a word, in order to help you remember it.
Which begs the question, how many people inhabit the NAU? We can assume
that, since there are still large agricultural tracts in Los Angeles, L.A.
at least isn't that crowded.
45
[Sir Martin] Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. IOW, the Black civil rights
leader who won the Nobel Peace prize in 1964, and was assassinated in
1968.
His role as governor-general is essentially that of president of the NAU,
while being subservient still to the King of England.
47
[La Cienga] IOW, there really are streets and buildings in Los
Angeles
named that, and it really is Spanish for "the swamp."
48
[Bonanparte . . . Bastille] IOW, in 1789, the French Revolution began
with the freeing of prisoners from the Bastille, a Paris prison. In 2G,
Bonaparte prevented that, and thus, we assume, also prevented the French
Revolution. "Ils ne passeront pas" is French for "They shall not pass."
IOW,
this phrase was made famous during the Battle of Verdun in World War I.
French generals informed their troops that the Germans would be
approaching
the French battle line soon. "They shall not pass!" replied the troops.
See
also 190 (below).
59
[Common Sense] IOW, a pamphlet by Thomas Paine, published February
14,
1776, which promoted the idea of separation and American Independence. It
was enormously important in furthering that cause.
[Boston Irish] A great many Irish immigrants have settled, and
continue
to do so, in Boston.
61
[the valley north and west] Yes, this is THE VALLEY. The San Fernando
Valley. IOW an extremely developed city, here agricultural.
[Cowanger Passs] IOW, it didn't get Anglicized. It's Cauenga, and
Cauenga Blvd. is still there in the Valley.
62
[Jack and Stripes] IOW, the U.S. flag is the Stars and Stripes, with
Stars in the upper left-hand corner. The NAU has a Union Jack there
instead.
[bald eagle] Emblem of the U.S.
63
[thugees] The thugees were assassins in India. IOW, the term
referring
to ruffians has been shortened merely to "thugs."
[simon-pure] A good man.
[carrion-eating scavenger] This is exactly what the eagle is. IOW,
Benjamin Franklin favored the turkey as our national bird. Turkeys may be
(relatively) stupid, but they are uniquely brave. Besides, every other
country in Europe had the eagle as its symbolic bird.
64
[a guinea] A guinea is officially 1 pound and 1 shilling. The guinea
was last minted in 1817, but some luxury items (racehorses, paintings at
auction) are still quoted in guineas due to snob appeal.
[serviette] British for "napkin."
66
[grandchildren of George, Duke of Kent] George was the father of
Elizabeth II (IOW). Prince Charles would be his grandchild, so these are
analogous to the Chuck and Di tabloid articles. In 2G, though, Charles is
King. So these grandchildren are someone else.
[Roundhead look] Clearly, we are meant to associate them with the
skinheads IOW.
67
[A cup of hemlock] Condemned to death for corruption of youth and
irreglious statements, Socrates (c479 - 399 BC) drank a cup of this
poison.
69
[brush-covered knoll] IOW, many conspiracy experts believe that
something happened on "the grassy knoll" in Dallas that is the key to the
assassination of John F. Kennedy.
71
[Waldstein sonata] Piano sonata by Beethoven.
[Bovril] A beef flavored liquid, akin to Vegemite.
[Nawleans music] Colloquial pronunciation of "New Orleans." The map
in
the front of 2G identifies New Orleans as "New Orleans," not "Nawleans."
Nawleans could be a slang term, possibly for jazz or Dixieland music.
72
[sod off] British for "screw off" (in the offensive sense. i.e. Up
yours!).
[Cossacks . . . Tsar] The Tsar of Russia gave dominion over certain
parts of Russia to the Cossacks in exchange for their (violent and
unchecked) policing of them for him.
73
[skinny, blond, estranged wife] Like 66 (above), we are meant to
think
of tabloid pictures of (former) Princess Diana.
74
[St. Peter's docks] IOW, San Pedro, CA. Still quite a harbor.
75
[geechee] Generic term for a black slave, from the slaves who once
lived on the Ogeechee river in Georgia.
77
[Nagant] The Mosin-Nagant was the official rifle of the Imperial
Russian Army beginning in 1891. They were good weapons overall, but their
sights were not precise and their bolts much too complicated. They were
last
used during World War II.
77
[Skidegate, QCI] IOW, a real city in Canada.
80
[Haida Indians] IOW, a real tribe living on QCI, British Columbia and
Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.
[quid] Slang term for "pound" (British money).
81
[blew out his brains] IOW, the same mortal wound as John F. Kennedy,
who defeated Nixon in the 1960 elections.
82
[All-Union Station] IOW, Union Station, in downtown Los Angeles, is
quite large and quite lovely.
[Canute] Dane who became King of England (reigned 1016-1035). He once
commanded the ocean's waves to stand still -- and failed, of course. He
pointed this out to his courtiers to show them that he was fallible.
83
[feldspar] A type of igneous mineral.
89
[Charles III] Charles I was King of England from 1625-49. His son,
Charles II, reigned from 1660-85. Charles III, we can only assume, is the
current Prince of Wales, the son of Queen Elizabeth II. IOW, he has yet to
reign since his mother has held the throne since 1952.
103
[knighthood] The lowest "titled" rank. The title is not hereditary.
Their wives are "Ladies."
113
[baronet . . . baron] Barons are the lowest of "peers." Beneath them
are baronets, higher only than knights. Both titles are hereditary, but
baronets are not "peers" and as such cannot sit in the House of Lords.
113
[Wellesley] IOW, Seattle.
115
[florin] 2 shillings.
[obvious Irishman showed his loyalty] See 27 (above).
116
["I Remember Your Name"] This scene is right out of the 1942 film
CASABLANCA. Both feature a Black man named Sam at the piano, a song about
remembering, and a tough guy who doesn't like a song because it reminds
him
of the woman he lost, but nonetheless tells Sam to "play it."
[meerchasaum] A stoneware pipe.
119
[West Boston] IOW, Portland.
119
[Drakestown], IOW, San Francisco -- another 2G place named for Sir
Francis Drake.
127
[Hector was a pup] Hector was, according to Homer's ILIAD, a hero in
the Trojan War (12th Century B.C). Thus, he was young a very long time
ago.
[kidnapped fifty years ago] "The crime of century" was the kidnapping
and murder of Charles Lindbergh's infant son in 1932.
130
[kit] British for "uniform."
132
[vacuum flask] Thermos.
138
[Meursault . . . from the Palatinate] Meursault is a good, French
white
wine. Vouvray wines are sweet and sometimes slightly sparkling, as are
Rhine. IOW, the Palatineate was a small state on the Rhine river.
140
[milliard] British for a "billion."
141
[subaltern] Junior officer, a 2nd lieutenant.
145
[solicitor] In Britain, lawyers are divided into types: solicitors
and
barristers. The latter are the ones who plead cases in court, while
solicitors do the non-court work such as drawing up wills. Barristers are
hired through your solicitor.
145
[Okhrana] Tough, Russian secret police.
147
[2 shillings] A tenth of a pound (meant to be dime in 2G?).
[gaol] British for "jail."
[Sitka] IOW, a real city in Alaska.
148
[pitch] British for "pile."
152
[Doshoweh] IOW, Detroit.
162
[scientific romance] H.G. Wells coined this term do describe his
work.
In 1911, Hugo Gernsback called the genre "scientific fiction," which he
shorted in 1924 to "Scientifiction." Shortly thereafter, this became
Science
Fiction.
167
[Tippicano] IOW, Indiana.
[Miami] IOW, Ohio.
168
[Gurkha] The British army had regiments made up of the Gurkha people
of
Nepal. They were exceptional fighters.
178
[That is the question] "To be, or not to be: that is the question"
Shakespeare, HAMLET, III, i, 56.
[sub rosa] Latin, "secretly."
182
[coshes] Heavy, blunt weapons.
[ironmonger's shop] A hardware store.
[and a crown with that] When coffee cost a dime, there was the
rejoinder "That and a dime will get you a cup of coffee," meaning that
whatever had just been proposed wouldn't help much.
187
[trade school] British school for students not planning to go on to
"higher education," understood to be for not-so-bright students.
[modus vivendi] Latin, "compromise."
190
[Beethoven's Third Symphony] IOW, the symphony was originally
entitled
"Bonaparte," as a tribute to Napoleon. But when Napoleon crowned himself
emperor in 1804, Beethoven was so disillusioned that he changed the title
to
"Eroica" (Heroic), "to celebrate the memory of a great man." In 2G,
Beethoven apparently still felt the same way. The "ill-fated French
uprising" was the failed start of the French Revolution, and Beethoven
dedicated the symphony to the dead would-be revolutionaries. Bushell,
being
pro-royalty, considers Beethoven a "radical."
193
[wassa] typographical error: "was a."
[whiskey . . . Franklin] IOW, Kentucky whiskey.
[Havanas] Cigars from Havana, Cuba. Said by many to be the finest in
the world. IOW, illegal in the U.S. due to a trade embargo against Cuba.
196
[any spar he could reach] A spar is part of a ship's mast. A drowning
man will grab whatever he can to prevent himself from drowning.
197
[Charleroi] IOW, a real city in Virginia. The name is French for
"Charles the King."
202
[Sam the spade] Spade is an offensive slang term for a Black person.
Additionally, Sam Stanley is a detective. IOW, Sam Spade is a private eye
in
Dashiell Hammett's novel THE MALTESE FALCON (1930).
203
[vulgarians] A vulgar person, especially a rich one.
204
[micks] Offensive slang term for an Irish person.
205
[phiz] British slang for "face."
208
[Parthian shot] A shot fired while retreating.
["thus unlamenting"] "Thus let me live, unseen, unknown / Thus
unlamented let me die" Pope, "Ode to Solitude" stz. 5.
210
[McNamara's Band] A traditional Irish drinking song.
211
[Custom hath made it in him a property of easiness.] Shakespeare's
HAMLET, V, i, 73.
216
[Jake] A slang term for everything being fine.
218
[toff] A dandy.
224
[any a colleen from the Auld sod] Any girl from the old country
(Ireland).
228
[Lay on, McDuff] "Lay on, Macduff,/And damned be him that first
cries,
"Hold,/enough." Shakespeare's MACBETH, V, vii, 62.
229
[given the choice . . . Philadelphia] Comedian W.C. Fields once
suggested this as his own epitaph: "Here lies W. C. Fields. I would rather
be living in Philadelphia."
234
[Faneuil Hall] Located in the heart of Boston, in the 1700's it was a
large market place that also hosted a number of Revolutionary speakers,
especially Samuel Adams and George Washington. It's nickname is "The
Cradle
of Liberty." Today it's just a big mall.
234
[Mr. Kennedy] John Fitzgerald Kennedy. IOW, president of the United
States (1961-63) until he was assassinated.
235
[WATER MUSIC] Handle composed these pieces for King George I to
listen
to while he sailed up the river Thames in 1717.
[Bright Young Things] British term for energetic young people,
usually
well-off financially and well educated, who seem to have the world at
their
fingertips.
236
[he projected so much charm] IOW, Kennedy was known for his charisma.
[Donegal tweeds] An Irish fabric. The Kennedy family both in IOW and
in
2G were of Irish descent and quite wealthy.
[raising it to his lips] IOW, Kennedy is known to have been quite the
philanderer, having carried on many affairs while married and while
president, most notably with actress Marilyn Monroe.
[they didn't grow tobacco . . . British Empire] The cigar is
undoubtedly Cuban. IOW, Kennedy had a penchant for them, and, though
illegal, still managed to obtain them.
237
[biscuit] British for "cookie."
238
[potato failed] The Irish Potato Famine of the 1840's killed many
thousands and led to mass emigration by the Irish to the US.
[seven stone] A "stone" in Britain is 14 pounds, thus weighing 98
pounds.
[to put on your eyes] In Greek mythology, coins were placed on the
eyes
of the dead when they were buried so that they could pay the ferryman,
Charon, to row them across the River Styx to eternity.
[Kennedy's brother] That would be Robert F. Kennedy. IOW, Attorney
General of the United States, assassinated in 1968. In 2G, he's an
archbishop (presumably Anglican, though the Kennedys are Catholic), and,
holding such a high rank in that church, is unlikely to convert to
another.
242
[John Adams Ale] IOW, Samuel Adams beer is a popular brand. The two
men
were cousins.
250
[strawboater] A straw hat.
[greatcoat] A thick, heavy overcoat, usually wool.
254
[Dutchmen have done] Holland keeps the water around it from flooding
through a series of dikes and windmill-powered pumps.
255
[Pontius Pilate] In the Bible, Roman governor of Judea. In MATTHEW
27:24, he asks the gathered crowd why he should sentence Jesus to death.
When he gets no reply, he literally washes his hands of the matter.
256
[dragoons] Heavily armed soldiers.
[haberdasher] A seller of thread, needles, buttons, and other
"notions."
258
[chemist's] British for "drug store."
260
[kerb] British for street "curb."
263
[Georgestown] IOW, Georgetown.
268
[In Jameson veritas] A twist on the Latin phrase "in vino veritas"
(in
wine there is truth).
269
[paracetamentol] The generic name for a non-aspirin pain reliever
such
as Tylenol.
270
[I regret I have but one life . . .] IOW, American revolutionary
Nathan
Hale was hanged by the British in 1776. His last words were: "I only
regret
that I have but one life to lose for my country."
275
[William and Mary] William of Orange and his wife Mary, daughter of
King James II, were invited by the British to come from Holland and usurp
the throne from James, who nearly everyone was unhappy with. "The Glorious
Revolution" was fast and fairly bloodless.
276
[hoi polli] Greek, "the common people."
279
[charges] French, short for "charge d'affaires" -- a low-ranking
diplomat.
277
[vingt-et-un] The card game 21, Blackjack.
[marchioness] The wife of a marquis. A Marquis is ranked below a
duke,
but above an earl.
280
[America's Number 10] Number 10, Downing Street, in London, is the
residence of the Prime Minister. This, from its description alone, is
unmistakably The White House (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue).
281
[Jackson . . . Douglas . . . Roosevelt] Jackson is probably
"Stonewall"
Jackson, IOW a soldier on the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The
war
made its winner, Ulysses S, Grant, president. In 2G there was no Civil
War,
and Jackson made it to the governor-generalship. Douglas is Stephen A.
Douglas, who defeated Abraham Lincoln for an Illinois senate seat, and
with
whom Lincoln had a famous series of debates. IOW, Martin Roosevelt was the
brother of James Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt's (U.S. President from
1933-45) great-grandfather. Presumably, in the world of 2G, he did not die
in 1781 at the age of 16, but rather went on to become a governor-general.
282
[Honors List] IOW, the Prime Minister submits a list of civil
servants
to the Queen, and with her approval, they become knights.
284
[kicked basset] The eyes of Basset hounds make them look perpetually
sad. A kicked basset would look even sadder.
286
[William the Conqueror] Bushell is exaggerating. William the
Conqueror
came from France in 1066 and, by defeating King Harold, became King of
England.
288
[beard the Russian] A twist on "to beard the lion in his den," to
confront an enemy face to face.
289
[shakos] Plumed, cylindrical military hat with a visor and metal
plate.
290
[comte] French titled rank, the equivalent of an earl.
293
[suffered the slings and arrows] Shakespeare's HAMLET, III, i, 57.
"Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune/ Or to take up arms against a sea of trouble/ And by
opposing end them?
294
[To Anacreon in Heaven] IOW, this is an old drinking song. Francis
Scott Key, when he wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" (made the national
anthem of the U.S. in 1931), set the words to that tune. Before Key
appropriated it, the tune had no political connotations (it's about love
and
wine), yet, Dreyfus and Turtledove still give it a place of honor as the
anthem of the NAU. This is obviously a reference that we're just supposed
to
smile at ("Oh, yes, 'Anacreon' was the original tune..."), but not think
too
deeply about.
296
[Age cannot stale] A paraphrase of "Age cannot wither her, nor custom
stale/ her infinite variety." Shakespeare's ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA, II, ii,
243.
299
[putting horns] The classical image of a cuckold is that he is
wearing
horns.
304
[scatalogist] One who makes a study of the obscene.
308
[mark of Cain] In the Bible, GENESIS 4, Cain slew his brother Abel,
and
God put a mark upon him so that he would be recognized as a criminal.
320
[Graf] German titled rank, the equivalent of an earl.
321
[Et tu, Brute?] "And you as well, Brutus?" asked Julius Caesar as his
friend Marcus Junius Brutus took part in his assassination in 44 AD. See
Shakespeare's JULIUS CAESAR, III, i, 77.
323
[livres d'or] An old French currency.
324
[coca leaf] Leaf from which cocaine is made.
[snuff] Powdered tobacco which was sniffed up the nose. IOW, "Taking
snuff" was as popular a century ago as cigarette smoking is today.
325
[AGincourt] Another phone number, but one that refers to The Battle
of
Agincourt (as immortalized in Shakespeare's HENRY V), where a British army
defeated a French army five times its size.
331
[voisko] Member of the Cossack army, or a group of Cossacks.
333
[Victuallers] People licensed to sell alcohol. Pron. Vit-el-er.
[glove box] British for the "glove compartment" in an auto.
334
[rotten in Denmark] "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
Shakespeare's HAMLET, I, iv, 90.
340
[whipsawed] Defeated two ways at once. After the whipsaw, a two-man
crosscut saw.
356
["Hail to the King-Emperor"] IOW, the tune played whenever the
president of the U.S. appears is "Hail to the Chief." The president is the
commander-in-chief of all the armed services.
356
[tyres] British for automobile "tires."
360
[morphia] Morphine. A very strong pain killer. IOW, used sparingly
due
to its addictiveness.
362
[nursing sister] British for a "nurse," as in R.N. No religious
affiliation.
362
[Council of Nicea] Bushell is exaggerating. The C. of N. (325 A.D.)
established the divinity of Jesus and his part in the Trinity. Various
other
proclamations were made as well. Bushell is familiar with it due to his
classical education and the fact that he lives in an Anglican nation.
Anglican churchgoers recite The Nicene Creed, an affirmation the these
beliefs.
365
[Bid whist] A card game rather like Bridge.
374
[Saville Row] A street in London renowned (even today) for having the
world's finest (and most expensive) tailors.
375
[persona non grata] Latin, "person not welcome."
376
[au revoir] French for "until later," as opposed to "good-bye," which
has a certain finality to it.
378
[Augean sables] In Greek mythology, one of the 12 Labors of Hercules
(performed as a penance) was to clean out the Augean stables. So large
were
they, that it was thought to be impossible. Hercules did it by diverting
two
rivers. Colloquially, "cleaning the Augean stables" refers to any daunting
task.
380
[de gustibus non disputandum] Latin for "There's no accounting for
taste."
384
[prouder to be an American] Americans, of course, do not get
knighted.
Thus, the irony.
A BRIEF GUIDE TO SOCIAL RANK:
The King (or Queen)
Prince of Wales
[High-ups in the church]
Duke
Marquis
Earl
Viscount
Baron
Baronet
Knight
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----
This annotation is copyright 1996 by Kevin Lauderdale; permission granted
for free electronic dissemination provided the text is not changed, this
notice remains attached, and no money is charged for it. All other rights
reserved to the author.
This text is available via the WWW at:
http://smi.Stanford.EDU/people/kxl/2Gannotations.html
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