Atdtda22: Gas, 609-614

[Paul Nightingale]

Our first view of Stuffed Edge is far from positive: "Lew found a prospect
bleak and hushed, all but unmodified by vegetation ." etc (610). Similarly,
"Elflock Villa turn[s] out to be a semi-detached residence of singular
monstrosity ." etc. That we are reading Lew's judgements here is confirmed
by the subsequent reference to "more than one field report"; so the
representation of location is subjective, perhaps recalling Lew's
expressionistic take on Chicago (38). Bottom of 609: "The suburbs out this
way tended to be corrupted versions of the Mother City ." etc. Cf. on 38: ".
a kind of waking swoon, which not so much propelled as allowed him entry
into an urban setting, like the world he had left but differing in
particulars ." etc. And then, at the end of the preceding section: ".
suburban trains never meant to arrive at any destination on the rail map"
(609).

This passage comes to an end in the kitchen, when Lew's take on the scene is
found wanting: the reader is briefly misled by his assumption that Replevin
is dead (611). At the start of the chapter Aychrome was associated with
Scotland Yard (605); subsequently, the Cohen represented TWIT (eg, "official
regalia", 608). Here, Replevin is part of "the gas-head community" (611),
the mass culture reference sitting alongside those to "Lincrusta-Walton
embossed in Asian motifs" (610) and "smart linoleum flooring" (610). If the
'gas-soap' is part of an alternative 'reality', then mass culture runs
parallel to the refinements of high culture. Subsequently, on 613, Replevin
refers to "the most exquisite poetry", which takes us back to the insecurity
of Aychrome's "modern poetry" (607). Similarly, when Lew "produc[es] a tiny
German camera" (613), representative of modernist art, his "snapshots"
should be juxtaposed to the classical/high cultural pieces he is ostensibly
photographing. The camera, of course, brings together Lew-as-detective and
also Lew in-role as "Gus Swallowfield, Senior Underwriter" (611): his aim is
to 'con' Replevin, eg ". making sure that any [shots] he took of the scroll
included other pieces, just for cover" (613).