Atdtda26: Let them have what they can carry away, 736-739

[Paul Nightingale]

The new section’s opening line confirms that “[t]hey are all out on the roof
...” etc, and goes on to explain the departure of Ruperta and Hunter. The
members of the roof party are not specified, but the implication (“all”) is
more than the two parties engaged in the lengthy dialogue passage that
follows. However, only at the bottom of 737 is Kit’s presence addressed
directly by either narrative or Reef/Dally. Hence Dally’s disappointment at
the lack of progress with Kit (735-736) is superseded by the confrontational
approach she takes here to Reef. Moreover, the Princess’ attempt to
‘refeminise’ her (“I’ve a hundred gowns just hanging here ...” etc, 735) is
interrupted by her own attempt to demonstrate what we might call Hawksian
qualities.

Reef intends to keep her at a distance, which recalls the way he treated Kit
and Lake; she is determined to prove herself his equal, hence the
performance on 737. Reef eventually gives way, “after a short period of
wordless stupor”, his acknowledgement that “[s]he’s right” the first
indicator in this passage of Kit’s presence. Kit, however, declines the
opportunity to address Dally or reply to what Reef has said about her. Over
the page, Dally explains the Anarchist situation in Venice, her knowledge of
the local ‘talent’ as extensive as her knowledge of the café scene (738).
Only when she puts the Traverse quest into perspective (“... you ain’t
exactly next”) does Kit finally speak to her.

At the outset, then, Dally has threatened the intimacy of the Reef/Kit
revenge drama, her exchange with Reef on 736 echoing that with Kit earlier,
on 734. Here, she has effectively opened out the conflict; it is no longer
personal--a private affair--in the way Reef/Kit had imagined. Subsequently
she guides the brothers to the Anarchist meeting, where Tancredi reappears
for the first time since 587; again, the reader might wonder what transpired
in the Daly/Tancredi relationship that was interrupted at the end of Ch41.
Hence, on 739, there is an immediate rapport between Tancredi and Dally, his
“appreciative squeeze” having the desired--by Dally--effect on Kit.
Moreover, her “invisible parasol” is perhaps reminiscent of Stray, “sighting
down her parasol at one of the matronly starers” on 645. 

Reef’s personal obsession with Scarsdale Vibe is put into perspective
immediately when they walk in on a discussion already far advanced. Tancredi
offers political reasons for dealing with SV as an exploiter, as one who
will turn art into just another commodity. Yes, as an artist he has a
personal angle; but his “passion” (738) is of a different kind to whatever
motivates the brothers. Nonetheless, his intensity as a speaker is lost when
he “[shakes] hands shyly with Kit and Reef” (739). The final line seems to
offer some kind of prescience; in doing so, the narrative returns to the
Traverse pov.