Atdtda35: It seemed it was saying, 983-984

[Paul Nightingale]

Frank's ongoing pursuit of Deuce Kindred (not mentioned by name) is brought
into sharp focus here. The previous section began with Frank immobile,
neither heeding the gringo advice nor keeping up with politics: a kind of
quietism, perhaps. That situation quickly changes; here, however, Frank is
again isolated from the political action. Up the page, mid-way through 66.1,
Frank is 'down in Jimenez ..., attached to an irregular unit ...' etc; and
here we find him 'using his off-duty time ...' etc. If his behaviour here
might be considered superstitious, his attachment to 'the strangest-looking
damn rock' (984) does echo the way in which, in the previous section,
political leaders become 'figurehead[s]' (982). Perhaps Durkheim by way of
response to Weber.