Mason Fancies he can hear Dixon getting it, but...

[Terrance Flaherty]

Is he getting any or does Mason only fancy it? 

The text says that Mason fancies it. 

Fancies:  The mental faculty through which whims, visions, and fantasies
are summoned up; imagination, especially of a whimsical or fantastic
nature. See Synonyms at  imagination. 2. An image or a fantastic
invention created by the mind. 3. A capricious notion; a whim. 

Dixon is with child or he is a kind of Atlas. 

According to the Greek poet Hesiod, Atlas was the son of Iapetos and
 the Oceanid Clymene. This makes Atlas the brother of some notable
 Titans, including Prometheus and Epimetheus. 

These brothers were mentioned in the text in the previous chapters. 

According
 to Hesiod: 

 "By harsh necessity, Atlas supports the broad sky
 on his head and unwearying arms,
 at the earth's limits, near the clear voiced Hesperides,
 for his is the doom decreed for him
 by Zeus the counselor." 

 It is interesting to note that another of the legendary myths in which
 Atlas played a part also involves the Hesperides. For it was one of the
 labors of Herakles to obtain the apples that were guarded by these
 nymphs who watched over the Golden Apple tree. In the legend, Atlas
 offered to assist Herakles in this task. The Titan then proposed a plan
-
 he would retrieve the apples if Herakles would, in return, hold up the
sky
 in his place. The hero Herakles agreed to this deal. However, Atlas had
 ulterior motives for helping. He would have left Herakles holding the
 heavens, but the hero either forced or tricked Atlas into taking back
his
 burden. And so Atlas resumed his role as the tireless Titan who
 supported the sky on his shoulders. 

Of course, as every carpenter knows, one should never get in or hold up
a tub unless one is with ones wife or some other woman. 

See Chaucer