From: "James Wynn" 
Subject: RE: (urth) Long Sun puzzles
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 13:57:35 -0500

Roy helpfully assists:
Joe gave the correct answer for the first question...For the second
question: I have the paperback, and re-read from when Silk
first met Chenille to the quote above. You're right; she made no mention of
a male friend. It's a mistake. Wolfe may have become confused over who said
what to whom. A few pages before that quote (277), Silk was asking her about
her use of rust. He said that "Orchid and a friend who knows you have both
told me you use it, and neither has reason to lie." That "friend" of Silk's
is Auk, but Auk is also Chenille's friend. Auk is almost certainly the
"somebody younger" she fears might hurt her. Hurt her again actually, as he
had confessed to having done so before to Silk the evening before.

Crush appreciatively responds:
I agree Joe is dead on for numero uno. I'm feeling kind of dense for the
time I spent grappling with it.
As for "numero two-o" that's a very clever explanation. But it's not clear
to me what she would be hiding about Auk. He didn't give or sell her rust.
Actually, he beat her because she tried to get money out him to buy rust.
Anyway, Silk already knows about Auk's tenuous relationship with Chenille.
Her relationship with him seems to have been quite casual since Auk doesn't
really know her except as Kypris - when the goddess leaves, they have almost
no real "friendship" at all. What could she tell Silk that would get her
beaten?

Could it be Musk? Well she's already told Silk that Musk provided her with
the Orpine's murder weapon. She reveals that she's a spy for Crane, but
there's someone else she still afraid of.

Silk's question suggests this friend is someone whose relationship with
Chenille he is so far unaware of. It's possible this question refers to a
statement that actually existed at one time but was inadvertently cut. But
it is gratifying to know that at least I'm not missing something right in
front of my eyes (maybe).
-- Crush




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