VV(19) Limeys and Kilroys

[Samuel Moyer]

Origins of the Comb:

Page 166-7
"An ivory comb, five-toothed: whose shape was that of five crucified, all
sharing at least one common arm.  None of them was a religious figure: they
were soldiers of the British Army.  She had found the comb in one of the
Cairo bazaars.  It had apparently been hand-carved by a Fuzzy-Wuzzy, an
artisan among the Mahdists, in commemoration of the crucifictions of '83, in
the country east of invested Khartoum.  Her motives in buying it may have
been as instinctive and uncomplex as those by which any young girl chooses a
dress or gewgaw of a particular hue and shape.

As far as the Mahdists:

Page 171
Goldolphin speaking: "Fifteen years.  It was directly after we'd entered
Khartoum.  I'd seen some beastliness in my Oriental campaigning, but nothing
to match that.  We were to relieve General Gordon - oh surely.  What the
Mahdi had done to that city.  To General Gordon, to his men.  I was having
trouble with fever then and no doubt it was seeing all the carrion and the
waste on top of that.  I wanted to get away, suddenly; ... "  then on to
Vheissu.

Victoria meets young (Evan) Goldolphin as he leaves his cell:

page 200
"From his slight elevation he noted an ornate ivory comb, sunk to the
armpits in her hair.  Faces, helmets, arms linked: crucified?  He blinked
closer at the faces.  All looked drawn-down by the weight of the bodies
beneath: but seemed to grimice more by convention - with an Eastern idea of
patience - than with any more explicit or Caucasian pain.  What a curious
girl it was beside him."

To Fausto's story now... Page 342 where the children are dismanteling the
Bad Priest:

"Funny hat," giggled a little girl.  She reached out and tugged off the hat.
A long coil of white hair came loose......

"Ladies can't be priests," replied a boy scornfully.  He began to examine
the hair.  Soon he pulled out an ivory comb and handed it to the little
girl.  She smiled.


I find that bit puzzling.  Fausto is writing this letter to Paola.  Paola
has the Ivory Comb.  Was Paola the little girl?  And if so, is this Fausto
and Paola's secret... not even to be mentioned in the letter (it is not her
confession, but his)?  Or, does he not recognize that the little girl is his
daughter?  Obviously this information would have been important to
Stencil... He could have inquired about the comb, never needed to make that
trip to Malta.  Instead:

Page 443:

White hands flickered up, behind her face.  "Here.  In case you think
tomorrow was a dream."  Her hair fell loose.  She handed him an ivory comb.
Five crucified Limeys - five kilroys - stared briefly at Valletta's sky till
he pocketed it.  "Don't lose it in a poker game.  I've had it a long time."

And again page 445, a conversation between Fausto and Stencil:

Stencil brightened after a while and changed course.  "A token.  Comb, shoe,
glass eye.  The Children."

"I wasn't watching the children.  I was watching your V.  What I did see of
the children - I recognized none of the faces..."


So maybe he didn't notice his daughter?  Or it wasn't her?  I think it was
Paola who took the comb and am a little surprised that he says he didn't
notice her.  Of course in his apologia he shows that he was distraught over
the death of Elena and hatred for the Bad Priest....

Now back to the Kilroys.  V picked the comb up in Cairo.  The same night
Paola hands the comb to Pappy, the English soldiers are heading for Eqypt.
The crucified English soldiers on the comb are also called "Five kilroys."
Symbolic in a way of the death to take place in the Suez Crisis... I think
not... it doesn't at all compare with the destruction that took place in
Khartoum.  I know there must be some connection between the five crucified
limeys... five kilroys.... but I fail to see it...

anyone?

Sam