# Urth Digest, Vol 120, Issue 32 *The Urth list — 1 messages, 1 voices, 11 Aug 2014* > Exported from an unofficial mirror of a public mailing list. Copyright > in each message remains with the person who wrote it. > Email addresses are obscured as `user at host`, the form the original > archive published. This file was rebuilt from parsed fields rather than > retained headers, so it is faithful in content but not byte-exact. --- ### Jonathan Laidlow *11 Aug 2014, 10:35* For those without access to "Detective of Dreams", it's available to read online here: http://hell.pl/szymon/Baen/1635%20The%20Eastern%20Front/The%20Dragon%20Done%20It/1416555285__18.htm Jonathan http://ultan.org.uk > On 11 August 2014 09:29, wrote: > Send Urth mailing list submissions to > urth at lists.urth.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.urth.net/listinfo.cgi/urth-urth.net > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > urth-request at lists.urth.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > urth-owner at lists.urth.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Urth digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Short Story 87: The Detective of Dreams (Marc Aramini) > 2. Death and Resurrection: Shadow of the Torturer Chapter I > (marcobadie at katamail.com) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 20:16:05 -0700 > From: Marc Aramini > To: The Urth Mailing List > Subject: Re: (urth) Short Story 87: The Detective of Dreams > Message-ID: > < > CAF1072zz79a6tD2zFwWqrifLzXv-VgNsdGJf7Upk868WrzGcMw at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I have always been sensitive to religious allusions, especially ones that > are similar to the almost voodoo Catholicism of my rather uneducated (but > not ignorant) grandmother, and the Detective of Dreams kind of summons that > fearful candle lighting literal symbolism I think runs a bit further > underground in a lot of Wolfe's work. I remember being a young child and > wondering why the conciliator wasn't the reconciliator, especially with > that temptation in the wilderness scene of Typhon lifted almost line by > line from the bible. > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: < > http://lists.urth.net/pipermail/urth-urth.net/attachments/20140810/c02974cb/attachment-0001.htm > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 10:29:25 +0200 > From: "marcobadie at katamail.com" > To: urth at lists.urth.net > Subject: (urth) Death and Resurrection: Shadow of the Torturer Chapter > I > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > > > My second post to the Urth list. > After many years lurking I am trying to offer to this list something new... > > > Death and Resurrection (The Shadow of the Torturer - Chapter I) > In catholic theology, death and resurrection are the first steps of > Novissima (Latin word: The Lastest Things). > 1. Death and Resurrection > 2. Judgement > 3. Hell? > or > 4. Heaven > > > Escathology (word from Greek) is the study of ?Novissima. > > > Latin definitions for the verb: resurgo, resurgere, resurrexi, resurrectus > lift oneself, be restored/rebuilt, revive, rise/appear again > > > Catherine, Severian's mother, is the most obscure character of The Book of > the New Sun. > Please, note the simmetry (and the opposition): > Severian (some iteration of Severian) is lifted, risen up (resurrected) > from water by Juturna, (the Undine (a water being). > The white gown's woman buried in the necropolis (some iteration of > Severian's mother, I think) is lifted, risen up (resurrected) from earth by > Hildegrin (the Badger, an earth being). > > > Juturna is searching for Severian from the future. > Hildegrin is searching for Severian (or for a link to Severian) in the > past. > > > Marco Cecchini (from Italy) > > > > Da: "Urth" urth-bounces at lists.urth.net > A: urth at lists.urth.net > Cc: > Data: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 20:05:40 -0700 > Oggetto: Urth Digest, Vol 120, Issue 31 >> Send Urth mailing list submissions to >> urth at lists.urth.net >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >> http://lists.urth.net/listinfo.cgi/urth-urth.net >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >> urth-request at lists.urth.net >> >> You can reach the person managing the list at >> urth-owner at lists.urth.net >> >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >> than "Re: Contents of Urth digest..." >> >> >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. Re: Short Story 87: The Detective of Dreams (Dan'l Danehy-Oakes) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 20:05:38 -0700 >> From: "Dan'l Danehy-Oakes" >> To: The Urth Mailing List >> Subject: Re: (urth) Short Story 87: The Detective of Dreams >> Message-ID: >> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> >> This is probably my favorite Wolfe short story, and the first I read. It >> blew the top of my head off. >> >> >> On Sun, Aug 10, 2014 at 7:59 PM, Marc Aramini wrote: >>> “The Detective of Dreams” first appeared in *Dark Forces* in 1980. It >>> is >>> recollected in *Endangered Species*. >>> >>> SUMMARY: A man identifying himself as Herr D?enters the narrator’s >>> office >>> on the rue Madeleine, probably in Paris, and hires him to get to the >>> bottom >>> of a series of dreams, for which his offered reward reeks of hyperbole: >>> “Find and destroy the Dream-Master — and you shall sit upon a chair of >>> gold, if that is your wish, and eat from a table of gold as well.” The >>> narrator reveals that he knows the real identity of Herr D--, which is >>> that >>> of Baron H?of the secret police of K--. >>> >>> The narrator makes his preparations, pinches his female assistant >>> Andree, >>> and leaves by train across the Alps to arrive at the station of I--. He >>> makes his way to his first contact, a woman who sells lacey dresses in >>> a >>> stripped and compartmentalized ex-church, now housing a series of small >>> shops and booths. He encounters Fraulein A--, who tells him of her fine >>> dresses and tries to suppress tears. The narrator expresses surprise >>> at her >>> single status, and Fraulein A-- reveals she has no interest in men or >>> women. When pressed, she reveals her nightly repeating dream (also >>> mentioning Freud)? she passes through a narrow gate and sees a >>> sumptuous >>> feast, but she is dressed in only a plain dress such as she works in, >>> and >>> she is cast out by a man she seems to recognize, who is tall, robed >>> like a >>> king, and wears a strange crown (probably of thorns). She is cast out >>> into >>> the garden, where she smells a terrible beast, and wakes up. No matter >>> what >>> she wears to sleep, the dream is the same. >>> >>> He then goes to discuss the dreams with another victim, Herr R--, a >>> banker. He tells of his youth selling cabbage leaf rolls and how he >>> has not >>> put his mother up in the finest house in Lindau, and reveals that in >>> his >>> dream the Dream-Master has hurt his hand. In his dreams, he is an >>> important >>> man who is summoned by the owner of a large and opulent house, the >>> same as >>> in Fraulein A--'s dream, to an accounting. He is told that he owes a >>> certain sum he cant remember, then begs and weeps for mercy. He says, >>> “several times I have told him that I am a wealthy man in this world, >>> and >>> that if only he would permit me to make payment in its currency, I >>> would do >>> so immediately.” The master replies, “That is a dream — you must know >>> it by >>> now. You cannot expect to pay a rel debt with the currency of sleep.” > After > Herr R-- falls at his feet like a child, the master says, “You would > never > be able to pay all you owe, and you are a false and dishonest servant. > But > your debt is forgiven, forever.” Herr R-- goes to burn the ledger page > that > contains his debt, but is met with another servant, who owes him a > trifling > sum, and he seizes him by the throat and demands payment. The owner > sees > him in disapproval, and the dream ends with a door to the chamber being > opened by a vile, reptilian hand that strikes Herr R-- with dread. >>> The next day our narrator meets with Baron H-- again and demands to >>> know >>> who is really behind the inquiry, and it is revealed that the countess >>> of >>> the province herself is having nightmares. Her husband fears >>> assassination, >>> and the narrator goes to see her and here of her dream, in which her >>> husband is going to hold an execution in the garden which mirrors >>> Christ's >>> crucifixion, with modern weapons. She begs her husband not to, for she >>> sees >>> that the reflection of the count in the Dream-Master's eyes is the real >>> count. At the end of the dream, the count gives the order to continue, >>> and >>> “the soldiers fire. The Dream-Master falls forward, though his bonds >>> hold >>> him to the tree. And Karl flies to bloody rags beside me.” >>> >>> The detective determines that they all cross the main street, the >>> Hauptstrasse, at approximately the same point, and he goes there to >>> observe. Eventually, he himself feels observed. Finally, he realizes >>> the >>> identity of the Dream-Master. “The stupidity, the wonderful stupidity >>> of >>> myself, who had not recognized his old stories! ? For the Dream-Master >>> had >>> set up His own picture, and full length and in the most gorgeous >>> colors, in >>> his window. He goes into the church and the priest gives him >>> communion: ?I >>> knelt, and there — I destroyed the Dream-Master as He has been >>> sacrificed >>> so often, devouring his white, wheaten flesh that we might all possess >>> life >>> without end. Dear people, dream on.” >>> >>> COMMENTARY: >>> >>> Wolfe has listed “The Detective of Dreams” as one of his favorite short >>> stories in a few interviews; here, the didactic message is easily >>> discernible to those with any familiarity of the parables of Jesus of >>> Nazareth. The victims of the Dream-Master see His face frequently but >>> are >>> unable to recognize it in their dreams, instead seeking a physical >>> cause >>> for their terrors. This lack of familiarity with the spiritual grants >>> their >>> visions the quality of terror — and it is the endings of the dreams >>> that >>> allow a more horrific message to creep into the story — the looming >>> threat >>> of their fears realized, a nameless terror almost as eldritch as the >>> fantasy of Lovecraft. This is especially clear in the dreams of the >>> banker >>> Herr R--, who sees a little more of the creature’s arm each day as the >>> door >>> to damnation opens bit by bit, inexorably. He wants to stop it, but >>> cannot >>> comprehend the spiritual change necessary to impede the opening door of >>> damnation because he is too much a part of this world, which, at least >>> in >>> this story, is but a dream of the spiritual reality. >>> >>> Underneath the story lies the certainty of the encroachment of the >>> modern >>> world on hallowed traditions: the church has become partitioned shops, >>> the >>> great house of the nobility has become a bank, and, all too soon, the >>> monarchy and nobility of Germany will shatter, too, with Austria and >>> Prussia and all these nations changed and perhaps even dissolved as >>> World >>> War II comes to shake the earth. >>> >>> What are the failings of these individuals? Fraulein A lives without >>> love; >>> her chastity is sterile, and she feels little affection for either >>> women or >>> men. Her attempt to put on a dress worthy of the wedding does not hide >>> that >>> she herself has no appreciation for the symbolic love behind the >>> wedding >>> ceremony. Herr R?has gotten by on understanding men to exploit their >>> psychological whims, a banker who does not have a sense for numbers. > Even > though the parable lists the debts at ten thousand talents, he can > never > remember what he owes, for it is kindness, forgiveness, and a > surrender of > profit that he truly owes, something he cannot put into words or wrap > his > mind around. >>> In his dream we see the concept of demons as servants of God: “I am >>> aware >>> that the owner possesses certain other servants, who have never been >>> under >>> my direction — they are hideous, vile, and cruel; I know too that he >>> thinks >>> me but little better than they, and that as he permits me to serve >>> him, so >>> he allows them to serve him also.” >>> >>> The Countess' dream has its own form of punishment that is more certain >>> than the slowly opening door of Herr R--: since the Count will have no >>> mercy, this quality prompts his own explosion. >>> >>> The dualistic world view Wolfe presents is nowhere more clearly stated >>> than in the dream of the Countess von V--: “In my dream quite >>> suddenly, his >>> eyes seem far, far larger than mine, and far more beautiful, and in >>> them I >>> see reflected the figure of my husband — it is his reflection, and not >>> the >>> man who stands near me, who is the real Karl. The man I have thought >>> real >>> is only a reflection of that reflection.” >>> >>> It is tempting to relegate “The Detective of Dreams” to nothing but an >>> exegesis of superstitious faith, a celebration of that mystery, that, >>> to >>> those steeped in the iconography and history of the Church, is >>> obvious. The >>> identity of the Dream-Master with the Eucharist is taken quite >>> literally - >>> “This is My Body, which will be given up for you.” It represents a >>> sacrifice for salvation that is reenacted with every taking of >>> communion, >>> one which is lost as these various individuals continue to exercise >>> their >>> will and desires and see the warnings as secular threats rather than a >>> call >>> to a different kind of reformation. >>> >>> LITERARY ALLUSIONS >>> >>> Especially in 18th and 19th century fiction, the practice of replacing >>> character names with a letter, such as Squire B?in Richardson’s >>> *Pamela* >>> (recast as Squire Booby in Fielding’s *Shamela*), was quite common, and >>> the motivation for doing so has several explanations. One is to lend >>> the >>> story universality — devoid of place names and given names, the >>> characters, >>> and especially the settings, can become any place without the author >>> having >>> to make sure every intersection in the story is properly placed. > Dickens in > particular eschewed this practice, but here the model most obviously in > play is Poe’s “The Purloined Letter”, which never names its influential > cast, from the prefect of police, G--, to the amoral minister, D--. The > hero, Dupin, uses the methods of logic and deduction coupled with a > creative imagination to solve mysteries, and also lives in Paris. >>> The other reason for the elided proper names is derivative of the early >>> conceit of the realistic novel, that the actual events were something >>> like >>> a memoir or happenstance that, to protect those involved or avoid >>> scandal, >>> replaced the names with letters. Why then does Wolfe use this >>> technique, >>> but give the first name of Count Karl von V--? In addition, we have a >>> German speaking community near the alps accessible via train in a time >>> after Freud's publications and the death of an Emperor, so the >>> concealment >>> only works to a certain degree of exactness. >>> >>> It is interesting that only in his current case does the detective of >>> dreams omit names, as he boasts of his previous credentials with full >>> names, which are touched on below. >>> >>> More frustrating, however, is the difficulty of placing the story >>> completely in a setting because of these almost random letters, and, >>> even >>> though it might be a waste of time, we will examine this more below. It >>> might be that the letters are arbitrary, though we do know that Herr R >>> puts >>> his mother up in Lindau, in Bavaria (which does have a part of the Alps >>> within its borders). Near Lindau is a small city called Immenstadt >>> which >>> has a train station, but none of the other letters seem to match up >>> unless >>> we transport the action to Austria — it seems that the theme, that this >>> world is the dream, makes the setting less important than the “real” > waking > world — the spiritual one. >>> Even though it is commonly regarded as a 19th century detective tale, >>> it >>> is actually set in the early parts of the 20th century before World War >>> II forever changed the ideological landscape, and this transitional >>> point >>> is one of the themes — the characters are approaching the modern world >>> in >>> their understanding and concerns, and they are faced with a spiritual >>> puzzle they are ill equipped to deal with. >>> >>> Perhaps an additional reference is to the work of Chesterton, >>> especially >>> The Everlasting Man, which Wolfe mentions in his afterword to the >>> story in *The >>> Best of Gene Wolfe. *There are a few interesting passages about dreams >>> in >>> Chesterton's text: >>> >>> Out of some dark forest under some ancient dawn there must come towards >>> us, with lumbering yet dancing motions, one of the very queerest of the >>> prehistoric creatures. We must see for the first time the strangely >>> small >>> head set on a neck not only longer but thicker than itself, as the >>> face of >>> a gargoyle is thrust out — the feet, each like a solid club of horn, >>> alone >>> amid the feet of so many cattle so that the true fear is to be found in >>> showing, not the cloven, but the uncloven hoof. Nor is it mere verbal >>> fancy >>> to see him thus as a unique monster — but the point is that when we >>> see him >>> thus as the first man saw him, we begin once more to have some >>> imaginative >>> sense of what it meant when the first man rode him. In such a dream he >>> may >>> seem ugly, but he does not seem unimpressive; and certainly that two >>> legged >>> dwarf who could get on top of him will not seem unimpressive. — In >>> other >>> words, I say it is better to see a horse as a monster than to see it >>> only >>> as a slow substitute for a motor-car. >>> >>> I am convinced that if we could tell the supernatural story of Christ >>> word >>> for word as of a Chinese hero, all him the Son of Heaven instead of >>> the Son >>> of God, and trace his rayed nimbus in the gold tread of Chinese >>> embroideries or the gold lacquer of Chinese potter, instead of in the >>> gold >>> leaf of our own old Catholic paintings, there would be a unanimous >>> testimony to the spiritual purity of the story. (from Chesterton's >>> Preface >>> to T*he Everlasting Man*) >>> >>> Removed from his religious context and put in a nightmare, Christ >>> invokes >>> that strange terror that the image of a horse might in a dream when >>> all its >>> strangeness is actually clarified. >>> >>> BIBLICAL ALLUSIONS >>> >>> Wolfe seems attracted to the idea of Christ as a teller of >>> instructional >>> stories, which are here recast as dreams with ominous implications. The >>> stigmata in his hands from the crucifixion are obvious, and the >>> majority of >>> these scenes can be easily found as parables in the gospel of Matthew, >>> though there is a significant overlap in content in the synoptic >>> gospels. >>> >>> Fraulein A??s dream is from the parable of the wedding banquet, found >>> in >>> Matthew 22:1-14, quoted below from the New King James Version, but her >>> dream starts with the garden and gate: “it’s not a large gate for >>> wagons or >>> carriages, but a small one, so narrow I can hardly get through. Have >>> you >>> read the writings of Dr. Freud of Vienna” — I am sure he would say that >>> entering that gate meant sexual commerce. This talk of a gate >>> involves the >>> start of Matthew 7:13-14 - >>> >>> >>> >>> 13Enter by the narrow gate; for wide *is* the gate and broad *is* the >>> way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. > 14Because > narrow *is* the gate and difficult *is* the way which leads to life, > and > there are few who find it. >>> The narrator is quick to dismiss the possibility of sexual repression, >>> for the Fraulein's problem is quite the opposite — an asexuality born >>> of >>> indifference to humanity. Here is the parable of the wedding banquet: >>> >>> 22And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: > 2?The > kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for > his > son, 3and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the > wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4Again, he sent out other > servants, saying, “Tell those who are invited, ?See, I have prepared my > dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle *are* killed, and all things *are* > ready. Come to the wedding.” 5But they made light of it and went their > ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6And the rest > seized > his servants, treated *them* spitefully, and killed *them.* 7But when > the > king heard *about it,* he was furious. And he sent out his armies, > destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8Then he said to > his > servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not > worthy. 9Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, > invite > to the wedding.” 10So those servants went out into the highways and > gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the > wedding > *hall* was filled with guests. >>> 11?But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who >>> did not have on a wedding garment. 12So he said to him, “Friend, how >>> did >>> you come in here without a wedding garment?” And he was speechless. > 13Then > the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, > and cast > *him* into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of > teeth.” >>> 14?For many are called, but few *are* chosen. >>> >>> >>> >>> Fraulein A’s ending puts a far more sinister and implied threat into >>> the >>> outer darkness, which has encroached upon the garden around the estate: >>> “some terrible beast has entered the garden. I smell it — like the >>> hyena >>> cage at the Tiergarten — as the door opens. And then I wake up.” >>> >>> >>> >>> The banker Herr R??s dream is from the parable of the unforgiving >>> servant, found in Matthew 18:21-35 - >>> >>> 21Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother >>> sin >>> against me, and I forgive him” Up to seven times? >>> >>> 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to >>> seventy times seven. 23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a >>> certain >>> king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24And when he had >>> begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten >>> thousand >>> talents. 25But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he >>> be >>> sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment >>> be >>> made. 26The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ?Master, >>> have >>> patience with me, and I will pay you all.” 27Then the master of that >>> servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the >>> debt. >>> >>> 28?But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who >>> owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took *him* by >>> the throat, saying, “Pay me what you owe!” 29So his fellow servant fell >>> down at his feet and begged him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I >>> will >>> pay you all.” 30And he would not, but went and threw him into prison >>> till >>> he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellow servants saw what had been >>> done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that >>> had >>> been done. 32Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, >>> “You >>> wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. > 33Should > you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had > pity > on you?” 34And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers > until he should pay all that was due to him. >>> 35?So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his >>> heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses. >>> >>> >>> >>> While the banker is incapable of remembering the sum of ten thousand >>> talents, it seems that there are also other things he owes the Dream >>> Master >>> ? mercy, forgiveness, and compassion for his fellow man. The >>> difference in >>> both of these parables is that, beyond a secular punishment, we see the >>> promise of hell: >>> >>> >>> >>> The throne of gold that Baron H-- offered our narrator might also echo >>> Matthew 19: 28-30, presaging the narrator's consumption of the body of >>> Christ. >>> >>> 28So Jesus said to them, ?Assuredly I say to you, that in the >>> regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you >>> who >>> have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve >>> tribes >>> of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or >>> father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, >>> shall >>> receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30But many *who are* >>> first will be last, and the last first. >>> >>> Chapter 7 of the Gospel of Matthew holds many of the themes which are >>> found in the dream of the Count (it is reprinted in its entirety in the >>> discussion of “Many Mansions.) >>> >>> The damnation we see threatened in the dreams certainly has biblical >>> precedent, as in Matthew 25:41-46- >>> >>> 41?Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ?Depart from Me, >>> you >>> cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his >>> angels: >>> 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave >>> Me >>> no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you >>> did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.” >>> >>> 44?Then they also will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You >>> hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did >>> not >>> minister to You?” 45Then He will answer them, saying, “Assuredly, I say >>> to you, inasmuch as you did not do *it* to one of the least of these, >>> you >>> did not do *it* to Me.” 46And these will go away into everlasting >>> punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. >>> >>> >>> >>> THE LETTERS AND THE SETTING >>> >>> If the late emperor of which our narrator speaks of for popularizing >>> the >>> beard and mustache is Franz Joseph, then the text actually seems to be >>> set >>> in the early 20th century, as Franz died in 1916 (but he did rule from >>> 1848 to 1916 as Emperor). This could very well make our area a state in >>> Austria if the letters are accurate at all, probably the state of >>> Karnten/Carinthia, with Klagenfurt its capital. Klagenfurt had a large >>> train stop on the Vienna-Trieste railway which was destroyed in World >>> War >>> II. However, the problem with this is that they are not as close to the >>> Alps or Lindau as Immenstadt, mentioned above, was, and perhaps >>> Klagenfurt >>> is too large (though it has some interesting local stories, since it's >>> name >>> means the ford of complaint — one legend says that an innocent >>> apprentice >>> was executed over a theft that wound up being a mistake, and that the >>> lament of the people when they found out rang out, thus the name of the >>> town). However, the setting might be forever open to speculation. >>> >>> The only name that is given amongst those involved is that of Karl, the >>> husband of the Countess. Karl means free man, and it is this freedom of >>> choice between good and evil that is implicit in Wolfe’s Christian >>> fiction. >>> He could select mercy. >>> >>> D--: The Baron in disguise who hires the detective to hunt the dream >>> master, he is also the head of the secret police. This is his mother’s >>> name >>> and the reason he selected the pseudonym. >>> >>> H--: The Baron’s true name >>> >>> K--: The city, state, or principality which the Baron represents. > Could be > Klagenfurt (the city) or Karnten (the state) in Austria. >>> I--: the city or station name which used to the be the capital of a >>> province (I cannot determine this with any accuracy, unless it simply >>> implies the Inner Stadt district, unless it is perhaps Immenstadt in >>> Bavaria rather than Austria) >>> >>> J--: now a province of K — (could be Jezersko, which was a part of >>> Karnten) >>> >>> A--: A rather asexual Fraulein who makes dresses and receives the >>> dream of >>> the wedding guests >>> >>> M--: an antique dealer who handles chairs and chests >>> >>> O--: an antique dealer who stocks pictures >>> >>> G--: A Frau who calls Fraulein A a manhater for not receiving her son >>> >>> R--: A banker who grew up on the streets and made his fortune by >>> understanding men rather than numbers (Raffgier is one possible German >>> word >>> for greed, but no other letters seem to echo the traits on display) >>> >>> V--: The Count and Countess, though it is the Countess von V?who dreams >>> that her husband Karl is executing the dream master. >>> >>> Fraulein A indicates that the police working under Baron H?are not >>> “our” >>> police — this could very well show the strange position Austria >>> occupied at >>> this time, though the city is probably in Germany (or might even be in >>> Switzerland from the details that we have, though that is the least >>> likely >>> possibility). >>> >>> THE DETECTIVES PREVIOUS CASES: >>> >>> Paulette Renan — our narrator found the quince seed in her throat ? >>> Paulette = little, Renan = (seal)? ? early mythical and historical >>> references to apples may have actually referred to the quince, and the >>> quince seed, if eaten in large quantities, actually can produce >>> hydrogen >>> cyanide and be toxic. (The quince might have been the actual forbidden >>> fruit in the story of Adam and Eve, and thus has a special place in the >>> concept of original sin, which necessitated the presence of Christ in >>> history, the “new” Adam). >>> >>> Captain Brotte — which means bread, discusses his finds amid the >>> Antarctic >>> ice, an unexplored region, and his name, bread certainly resonates >>> with the >>> Eucharist. >>> >>> Herr R-- says that he knows of the narrator because of a case >>> concerning a >>> mummy, and what is a mummy but an attempt to preserve the body for the >>> afterlife? >>> >>> Joan gift from god O?Neil — grandson of Niall (which could mean >>> cloud/champion), she lived behind a painting of herself (this echoes >>> the >>> reflection of the Count in Christ's eyes, in which the reflection was >>> more >>> “real” than the physical form visible to the eye). >>> >>> All these cases can in some way liken back to a Christian mystery or an >>> attempt to pierce the veil of the unknown. >>> >>> UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: >>> >>> Is this a town in Austria, as I have assumed, or in Bavaria proper or >>> even >>> the Swiss Alps? The Count von V — answers only to the Queen Regent >>> (there >>> was a prince regent in Bavaria during this time period, and we >>> definitely >>> have trains), a Queen Regent I cannot seem to locate in early 20th >>> century history near Germany. Can we place the date and city with more >>> exactitude, and is the identification of the “late” emperor who >>> popularized >>> a certain kind of mustache and beard not Franz Joseph I, who died in >>> 1916? >>> From the mention of Freud, who did not publish his *Interpretation of >>> Dreams* until 1899-1900 and did not have his group meetings until the >>> early parts of the 20th century, this story is actually a 20th century >>> tale, but is definitely set before World War II. Could it be after >>> World >>> War I? I feel as if the dissolution of German monarchs in 1918, with >>> its >>> kingdoms of Prussia, Bavaria, Austria, Saxony, and Wurrtenberg is >>> definitely yet to come (what a mess those nations were, making >>> placement of >>> this city almost impossible — setting a fairly narrow window of time in >>> which the action could occur.) >>> >>> When Fraulein A-- says “they are not our police”, does she refer to the >>> fact that they do not work for the people, or that they are a foreign >>> occupying force? >>> >>> Why are the dreams striking this city in particular? Is there a larger >>> reason for the substantiation of divine warning here? Could it be >>> related >>> to the events that are about to occur in German history and the >>> widespread >>> persecution of the Jews? Or are we to see it as individual warnings? >>> >>> CONNECTION TO OTHER WORKS: >>> >>> The overtly Christian works are rarely as unabashed as “The Detective >>> of >>> Dreams”, and certainly this has much in common with his Sherlock Holmes >>> pastiches, though it is more serious. This story's metaphysical >>> underpinnings in which the spiritual world has more of reality than our >>> physical world can also be found in “Trip, Trap.” >>> >>> _______________________________________________ ---