Atdtda26: I did not, 744-746

[Paul Nightingale]

Dally, contemplating Tancredi's death: "They might never have become lovers
..." etc. Cf. the final lines of Ch41 on 587, leaving the reader with the
impression that this was indeed about to happen. Also cf. the revelation
that Lake "[is] a virgin bride" (267), a revisionist account that asks us to
reconsider the strong implication of, eg, "... hard to say which of them,
her or Rica, had less sense about who she went upstairs with" (191). On
these occasions sexual activity can be denied when not described explicitly,
eg Reef/Ruperta on 657, or indeed Lake with Deuce/Sloat on 268-269. Cf.
Cyprian's confusion on 721-722.

And then Kit, reliving the moment he locked eyes with Scarsdale Vibe,
confirmation of his "exclusion from what had been spoken of at Yale as a
'future'" (745). Dally also laments the absence of a future: "... shouldn't
they have been allowed some time to find out" (744).

Separating these passages of introspection, Reef's departure and a dialogue
exchange between Kit and Dally. Reef suggests the time machine will allow
them to go back and do it over. For his own part, Reef opens "repeating,
like a sort of prayer ..." etc (744). Dally says she told him, ie answered
the question he would subsequently ask, "... you just didn't want to hear
about it". Reef resists the revisionist yearning of Kit/Dally, then looks
ahead: "I sure don't know how the hell long ..." (745). Following his
departure Kit/Dally also look ahead to their separation, Dally tying Kit to
Tancredi: "... one dead, one about to head off into exile".