Jansy Mello writes: 'In my opinion, as already stated, the "false" might not be a reference to a sky-color "azure", but to something else that is ...feigned ( Cf. another line:I was the shadow of the waxwing slain/ By feigned remoteness in the windowpane.)'

 

I have long wondered about this line. Who or what is "feigning" the "remoteness"? It looks like the Pathetic Fallacy. But VN is much too canny not to know this. Is he attributing this fallacy to Shade? Is Shade ironically attributing it to himself, as he ironically attributes the false "syllogism" to himself. (Thanks to SKB, by the way, for his further comments on that.)

 

Anthony Stadlen