AtDTdA: (9) 257

[Jasper]

257 The Chums in Venice (continued)

Page 257
Contrabuoyancy Devices
Sounds like plausible military terminology (Anti-Personnel Munitions, 
Area-Denial Mines). A reminder that the Chums are part of a military 
organization, as with the next note:

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"post-engagement critique"
The Chummy version of an After Action Review

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"What stood for a thousand years"
Pretty close: Construction of the Campanile began in the year 912.
*wiki*

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deciduous
Something that falls, drops or is shed, like leaves from a tree or baby 
teeth.
*wiki*

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"We had the weather-gauge"
Or, "weather-gage", meaning they had the wind at their backs pushing 
them in the direction they wished to follow. This is a common phrase in 
nautical narratives.
*wiki*

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"/your maternal relation/"
"/transform them all/ into masonry"
Lindsay telling Darby his mother is a medusa

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"Well, /your/ mother [...] is /so ugly/--"
Lindsay and Darby engaging in some "yo mama" jokes.  Darby may have been 
inventing one of these:

http://www.pimpdaddy.com/yomama/yomama-ugly.shtml

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neuræsthenic prostration
This is the third (at least) time Randolph has exhibited this tendency.

This is the third time that this word has appeared so far, but in the 
second instance (page 188) it was used by Nigel to describe Lew 
Basnight, not Randolph.

Not the word, but this reaction in Randolph occurred on pages 12 and 28. 
It seems to be a regular thing with him.
*wiki*

neur·as·the·nia
a psychological disorder marked especially by easy fatigability and 
often by lack of motivation, feelings of inadequacy, and psychosomatic 
symptoms

prostration
complete physical or mental exhaustion : COLLAPSE b : the process of 
being made powerless or the condition of powerlessness

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"a great wrong against History"
A wrong against History but not against humanity.

See also p. 259: "this strange interval forbidden to him to enter"

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Malamocco
One of the earliest settlements in the Venice lagoon, part of the Lido

http://tinyurl.com/2w6vnu [google maps]

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"St. Cosmo.  You are aware that something else is out there."
Ominous!
See 256: "something else about to emerge"