ATDTDA (15): Peeping, 413-417 #3

[Paul Nightingale]

Miles, before going with Chick to the second meeting with Mr Ace, has
appeared in these pages twice. He disturbs Lindsay with his response to
Smegmo (408); and then leads the exit from the BiH when Alonzo disappears
(411). On the first of those occasions his behaviour is merely embarrassing,
no more so than Lindsay's subsequent attack on Darby (409): each are guilty
of drawing attention to the Chums, who have "conscientiously mastered the
intricacies of access and scheduling" (408) in their attempt to 'fit in'
when having breakfast. In the BiH they stand out, if at all, because of
their response to Alonzo: "No one beside the Chums . gave any sign of having
noticed." (411)

At the second meeting Mr Ace is speechless, although he does have an impact
of sorts: "Miles began to cry, heedless and desolate, the tears of a high
professional cleric after receiving a direct message from God" (417).
Chick's response to seeing this indicates that Miles is guilty of another
kind of transgression: "tears among thus Unit were virtually unknown". He
has exposed himself as a reading subject, no longer aloof (". they've a way
now to detect me whenever I observe them").