GR translation: And when the mice run down...

[Mark Kohut]

Folklore and Legend - Fables and Proverbs 
“Pardon, O King,” cried the little Mouse: “forgive me this time, I shall never 
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________________________________
From: Mike Jing <mikezjing at hotmail.com>
To: pynchon-l at waste.org
Sent: Tue, May 31, 2011 3:29:07 AM
Subject: GR translation: And when the mice run down...

P38.9-10  And when the mice run down, who knows tonight but what they've run for 
good?

Again, my problem has more to do with grammar than with interpretation.  I don't 
know how to parse the second part of the sentence.  Is it like "who knows but 
them?" and if so, what is "what they've run for good" then?  Or is it like "who 
knows what they've run for good?", but then what is "but" doing there?  In any 
case, "what they've run for good" doesn't make much sense to me at all.  Any 
help will be greatly appreciated.

Mike
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