GR translation: You would oblige me

[David Morris]

Yes. Responding to Slothrup's "needling," Enzian "snaps to" into his
military discipline.  His "you would oblige me" almost means "please don't
oblige me." Meaning, "this I might refuse to answer."  But instead of
obliging or refusing, he deflects the conversation elsewhere.

On Friday, June 28, 2013, alice wellintown wrote:

> If you do as I ask, I will be obliged.
>
>
> But in the dialogue, while he uses the phrase, "I will be obliged" ,  he
> decides not to make a request, other than the questions, requests for
> information.
>
> I think that works.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Friday, June 28, 2013, Mike Jing wrote:
>
>> P369.15-28  The marshes streak away, patched with light under the milk
>> overcast. Negative shadows flicker white behind the edges of everything.
>> “Well, this is all creepy enough here, Oberst,” sez Slothrop. “You’re not
>> helping.”
>>
>> Enzian is staring into Slothrop’s face, with something like a smile under
>> his beard.
>>
>> “O.K. Who is after it, then?” Being enigmatic, won’t answer—is this bird
>> looking to be needled? “That Major Marvy,” opines Slothrop, “a-and that
>> Tchitcherine, too!”
>>
>> Ha! That did it. Like a salute, a boot-click, Enzian’s face snaps into
>> perfect neutrality. “You would oblige me,” he begins, then settles for
>> changing the subject. “You were down in the Mittelwerke. How did Marvy’s
>> people seem to be getting along with the Russians?”
>>
>> “Ace buddies, seemed like.”
>>
>>
>> Was Enzian going to leave when he said "You would oblige me," or was he
>> going to say something else before he decided to change the subject?
>>
>
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