Subject:
Re: [NABOKV-L] [Fwd: Plane flown by King Alfin in Pale Fire]
From:
"jansymello" <jansy@aetern.us>
Date:
Sat, 25 Mar 2006 18:16:03 -0300
To:
"Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>

Dear Don,
 
     An interesting find the one linking King Alfin and the "chocolate plane"We know that flying is linked with accidents in "Ada" ( Demon Veen died in a plane crash, grandpa Daedalus crashed into a pond ).  There is also a reference, close to Daedalus and King Wing, of a certain Ben Wright.
    I always thought this name would be a reference to one of the brothers Wright, who got all the credit as forerunners of aviation - instead of Santos Dumont with "Mademoiselle" and " 14-Bis". 
 
( Actually there were  "two memorable coachmen: Ben Wright, 1884, and Trofim Fartukov, 1888" in Ardis and both are associated to farts ( Fartukov, of course  - and the same Ben Wright who let loose a 'last petard at Ardis.’ being subsequently "fired after letting winds go free while driving Marina and Mlle Larivière home from the Vendange Festival". This English coach-man deserves a note by Darkbloom (n.316) on petard: Mr Ben Wright, a poet in his own right, is associated throughout with pets (farts).)
       
    I could never understand these pet references placed close to balloons, flying and planes in ADA!  The mistery deepens now.   
    By separate posting I´ll be sending you another caption of SD´s planes plus a cartoon in the French press. 

Jansy

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