money harvest

[jochen stremmel]

Last year I translated a novel by Ross Thomas. (It was a happy time.)
There's a piece of dialog between two men I'd like to show you:

   »Maybe we both ought to get married.«
    »Ah.«
    »You sound like that fucking psychiatrist. What does ah mean?«
    »I was thinking of the fair Mrs. Hix. With an x. She seems to be
lingering on in Washington.«
    »I thought you were keeping her here.«
    Easter shook his head and sat down in a chair opposite Pope. »Our
business has long since been concluded. Any further business we might have
could be just as well handled by phone. Or there’s the mail. The mails are
still going through. But she lingers on. That’s why I said ah. You
mentioned marriage. Mrs. Hix is still in town. My keen brain started
working and I said ah.«

My question: Is there anybody in the Pynchon list to recognize a literary
allusion here if there is one?

Best wishes to all of you,

Jochen
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