AS: ardilla means not only "squirrel", but also
"little rogue", "mischievous imp", in Spanish. I wonder if by "that stray
ardilla daintily leavesdropping" (see my previous posting) Van doesn't mean Kim
Beauharnais, the kitchen boy and photo fiend at Ardis, who spies on him and Ada.
Years later Van puts out Kim's shameless eyes (using an alpenstock, not an
eyedropper:)
JM: There might be "oedipal" undertones in
all these blindings (Oedipus gouged out his eyes, whereas Jocasta hung
herself), but, on the part of VN, it would be an "ardilous"
trap for a dark laughter...