Atdtda29: Stock-jobbers of history, 826-829

[Paul Nightingale]

Another café scene, and an “unspoken Law” insisting “that jabbering,
regardless of topic, never pause” (827). However, the “jabbering” that opens
the section on 826, fragments of unattributed speech, does stop once the
“unspoken Law” is announced. An alternative to “jabbering” is offered with
“... there would come an explosion” (827), as predictable, perhaps, as the
earlier observation that “someone would be remarking on the Austrian
outrage” (826). And then, as the section ends a couple of pages on, Bevis
mentions the Black Hand, silence falling “like a drumbeat” (829).

Danilo is introduced as representative of his community (827): cf. Vlado on
818-819, the history lesson Danilo delivers on 828 recalling Vlado’s
lecture.

For Danilo there is conflict between family and “the usual trouble”; if
Vlado is always part of the collective (underscored by the ambiguity
surrounding “you”, and his response to Yashmeen: “Myself, personally? no” on
819), Danilo is quickly isolated, “his destiny” meaning “he [is] soon out on
the street ...” etc (827). The café’s “unspoken Law” is echoed here in “the
confusion of tongues” that Danilo must “move among”. Consequently, his
discourse resembles that of the Cohen on 230-231: “Let us imagine a lateral
world ...” etc. Cf. Danilo’s: “Now, imagine a history referred not to London
...” etc (828).

This lengthy speech is endured by Cyprian (“listen[ing] patiently”) before
Bevis arrives. Unattributed speech follows, Cyprian taking the opportunity
to change the subject as Danilo drinks. This passage ends with Bevis
speaking, or at least his contribution acknowledged. The silence that greets
his reference to the Black Hand returns the narrative to Cyprian’s pov, his
fear that Bevis might be more than “a lower-level crypto” (829). On arrival,
Bevis’ silence had been interpreted as “brooding, no doubt about his
Anglo-Slavic ingenue” (828).