Single up all lines

[Tore Rye Andersen]

A-and how about:

"The Russians even had a guard posted on board for a while, till the Anubian 
ladies vamped them off long enough to single up all lines" (Gravity's 
Rainbow, p. 489)

o-or:

"The Ship's Landing ran well up into the Town, by way of Dock Creek, so that 
the final Approach was like being reach'd out to, the Wind baffl'd, a slow 
embrace of Brickwork, as the Town came to swallow one by one their Oceanick 
Degrees of freedom,- once as many as a Compass box'd, and now, as they 
single up all lines, as they secure from Sea-Detail, as they come to rest, 
none." (Mason & Dixon, p. 258)

a-a-and:

"stumble back to the Ship, single up all lines, out once again into certain 
Danger." (Mason & Dixon, p. 260)

I've got to say that this is the perfect opening line for 'Against the Day'. 
Pynchon does indeed seem to be singling up all lines, gathering up the 
threads from his previous novels before setting off on this latest (last?) 
journey. "Wow, I-I can't wait to see Happyville!"


> >From: "Carvill John" <johncarvill at hotmail.com>
> >To: takoitov at hotmail.com, pynchon-l at waste.org
> >Subject: Re: First line of Against the Day?
> >Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:02:06 +0000
> >
> >Kudos!
> >
> >How did you find that?
> >

> >>"For it's said (and not without reason) that no sooner does a ship like
> >>the Scaffold single up all lines than certain Navy wives are out of 
>their
> >>civvies and into barmaid uniform, flexing their beer-carrying arms and
> >>practicing a hooker's sweet smile; even as the N.O.B. band is playing 
>Auld
> >>Lang Syne and the destroyers are blowing stacks in black flakes all over
> >>the cuckolds-to-be standing manly at attention, taking leave with me and 
>a
> >>tiny grin."
> >>
> >>http://www.harperacademic.com/catalog/excerpt_xml.asp?isbn=0060930217
> >>