AtDDtA(15): A Neuroptahy Had Taken Hold

[Dave Monroe]

"Soon the crew began to find evidence of Trespass everywhere, some
invisible narrative occupying, where it did not in fact define, the
passage of the day.  And it was soon evident that at all levels, from
local to international, a neuropathy had taken over the Chums of
Chance organization.  The Trespassers had studied their targets
closely [...] some Chums of Chance turned in panic to the corrupt
embrace of the Trespassers, ready to deal with Hell itself [...].
   "That there existed more than one such traitor soon became widely
known, though not their identities.  So, with anyone a likely
candidate, there arose an unprecedented and widely destructive wave of
slander, paranoia, and character assassination, which had continued
unabated through the present day.  Duels were fought, lawsuits
brought, all for nought.  The Tresspassers went on undeterred with
their dark confidence game ...." (AtD, Pt. II, p. 418)


"Trespass"

Main Entry: tres·pass
Pronunciation: 'tres-p&s, -"pas
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English trespas, from Anglo-French, passage,
overstepping, misdeed, from trespasser
1 a : a violation of moral or social ethics : TRANSGRESSION;
especially : SIN b : an unwarranted infringement
2 a : an unlawful act committed on the person, property, or rights of
another; especially : a wrongful entry on real property b : the legal
action for injuries resulting from trespass

http://m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

Note capitalization, usage (as noun, meaning, essentially, something
Trespassers do, or even, the evidence of Tresspasser action) here ...


neuropathy

Main Entry: neu·rop·a·thy
Pronunciation: nu-'rä-p&-thE, nyu-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -thies
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary
: an abnormal and usually degenerative state of the nervous system or
nerves; also : a systemic condition that stems from a neuropathy

http://m-w.com/dictionary/neuropathy

Neuropathy is usually short for peripheral neuropathy, meaning a
disease of the peripheral nerve or nerves....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuropathy


"ready to deal with Hell itself," "sinister contracts"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/faust.html

http://www.levity.com/alchemy/faustidx.html


"early boys'-book innocence"

http://www.scifi.com/sfw/books/column/sfw14197.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Against_the_Day#Writing_styles

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0701&msg=114264


"slander, paranoia, and character assassination"

"Let us not assassinate this lad further, senator. You have done
enough. Have you no sense of decency? At long last, have you left no
sense of decency?"

http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Have_you_no_sense_of_decency.htm

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/welch-mccarthy.html

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001036.html

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6444

"Gentlemen, you can't be paranoid in here!  This is a Pynchon novel."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/quotes