MDDM Ch. 39 Dixon eats!

[jbor]

on 21/3/02 5:10 AM, Terrance Flaherty at lycidas2 at earthlink.net wrote:

> This Chapter opens with a discussion of Mason's sex or lack of sex Life.
> Dixon says,  "'Tis against Nature."
> 
> And interesting choice of language.
> It's the 18th century and you are not supposed to buy a thrill, lay down
> your Jacksons or play with a Steely Dan, all are against nature.
> 
> Mason's reply "I only hope you're not suggesting anyone in our immediate
> Company,--....

I took that to mean of the *women* present at the Inn.

Cha. goes on to say "I mean, *you* haven't been" (391-2), meaning that Dixon
hasn't been getting any either.

And then he looks at Dixon's stomach and immediately wonders whether Dixon
has been friendly with someone in the kitchen - one of the girls there, I
assume - which is when Jere jokes: "Either that or I'm pregnant ... "

So, it's *either* the fact that Jere has been getting "sweet treats" from
one of the kitchen girls *or*, his joke about his rapidly-developing paunch,
a pregnancy. 

That's the way I read it anyway.

best