Marius Hancu
2007-03-18 13:12:52 UTC
Hello:
I wonder what "Gentleman Jack" means here (could it be a man
successful with women?) and if
"the way to get on"
means the way to get sexual favors.
Generally, what's the point of having the creeper in that place?
Also, how about "the badger bag." Is this a sailor's "mixed bag" or
"bag of tricks?"
----
[Talbot is looking for "a place of assignation" for him and
Zenobia. He gets down to the gun room of the ship, where he meets some
of the mishipmen.]
Yet I did not pay much attention to them at first because of the
extraordinary object that Mr Willis revealed as he moved his bony
length towards the ladder. It was, of all things, a plant, some kind
of creeper, its roots buried in a pot and the stem roped to the
bulkhead for a few feet. There was never a leaf; and whatever a
tendril or branch was unsupported it hung straight down like a piece
of seaweed--which indeed would have been more appropriate and
useful. I exclaimed at his sight. Mr Taylor burst into his usual peal
nad pointed to Mr Willis and the not particular proud owner. Mr Willis
vanished up the ladder. I turned from the plant to Mr Taylor.
"What the devil is that for?"
"Ah," said the gunner. "Gentleman Jack."
"Always one for a joke, Mr. Deverel," said the carpenter. "He put him
up to it." [Mr. Deverel is one of the officers on the ship and seems
to be successful with the women]
The sailing master smiled across at me with mysterious compassion.
"Mr Deverel told him it was the way to get on."
Tommy Taylor cried with laughter--literally cried, the tears falling
from him. He choked and I beat his back more severely than he
liked. But unalloyed high spirits are a nuisance anywhere. He stopped
laughing.
"It's a creeper, you see!"
"Gentleman Jack," said the carpenter again. "I could help laughing
myself. God knows what sort of lark Mr Deverel will get up to in the
badger bag."
"The what, sir?"
William Golding, Rites of Passage, p. 79
-------
Thank you.
Marius Hancu
I wonder what "Gentleman Jack" means here (could it be a man
successful with women?) and if
"the way to get on"
means the way to get sexual favors.
Generally, what's the point of having the creeper in that place?
Also, how about "the badger bag." Is this a sailor's "mixed bag" or
"bag of tricks?"
----
[Talbot is looking for "a place of assignation" for him and
Zenobia. He gets down to the gun room of the ship, where he meets some
of the mishipmen.]
Yet I did not pay much attention to them at first because of the
extraordinary object that Mr Willis revealed as he moved his bony
length towards the ladder. It was, of all things, a plant, some kind
of creeper, its roots buried in a pot and the stem roped to the
bulkhead for a few feet. There was never a leaf; and whatever a
tendril or branch was unsupported it hung straight down like a piece
of seaweed--which indeed would have been more appropriate and
useful. I exclaimed at his sight. Mr Taylor burst into his usual peal
nad pointed to Mr Willis and the not particular proud owner. Mr Willis
vanished up the ladder. I turned from the plant to Mr Taylor.
"What the devil is that for?"
"Ah," said the gunner. "Gentleman Jack."
"Always one for a joke, Mr. Deverel," said the carpenter. "He put him
up to it." [Mr. Deverel is one of the officers on the ship and seems
to be successful with the women]
The sailing master smiled across at me with mysterious compassion.
"Mr Deverel told him it was the way to get on."
Tommy Taylor cried with laughter--literally cried, the tears falling
from him. He choked and I beat his back more severely than he
liked. But unalloyed high spirits are a nuisance anywhere. He stopped
laughing.
"It's a creeper, you see!"
"Gentleman Jack," said the carpenter again. "I could help laughing
myself. God knows what sort of lark Mr Deverel will get up to in the
badger bag."
"The what, sir?"
William Golding, Rites of Passage, p. 79
-------
Thank you.
Marius Hancu