In the novel "ADA" bloomers appear in playful variegated senses (
from "internal dialogues" to flowers and blunders and undergarments...).
While collecting some for the List I got the
impression that VN might have set a trap for Lolita's future translators
by suggesting the bloomer with a swooner! This word in
"Ada" usually comes up while Ada or Van are mocking the work of
translators...
Examples:
1. ‘As in the case of many flowers,’ Ada went on, with a mad scholar’s quiet smile,
‘the unfortunate French name of our plant, souci d’eau, has been traduced
or shall we say transfigured —’
‘Flowers
into bloomers,’ punned Van Veen.
‘Je vous
en prie, mes enfants!’ put in Marina, who
had been following the conversation with difficulty and now, through a secondary
misunderstanding, thought the reference was to the
undergarment.
‘By
chance, this very morning,’ said Ada, not deigning to enlighten her mother, ‘our
learned governess, who was also yours, Van, and who —’...‘— is pretty hard on
English-speaking transmongrelizers — drew my attention — my wavering
attention — to some really gorgeous bloomers, as you call them, Van, in a Mr
Fowlie’s soi-disant literal version — called "sensitive" in a recent
Elsian rave (...) ‘Angel moy,’
pleaded Marina, ‘I’m sure Van
cannot be interested in Lucette’s nightdress!’
2.
Ada, who
amused herself by translating ...John Shade into Russian and French, often read
to Van...the bloomers of inept scholarship blend with the whims of flowery
imitation.