In a message dated 1/30/2007 2:43:58 PM Central Standard Time, Chaswe@AOL.COM writes:

Since "Knave" is presumably closely cognate with German "Knabe", a more accurate translation into American would be King, Queen, Boy; although "Boy" is, I suppose, quite unacceptable these days (cf the film Casablanca, or the song Chattanooga-Choo-Choo). The Swedish is Kung, Dam, Knekt, no doubt cognate with Knight; although Knekt, in Swedish, has been demoted to servant, varlet or batman, not elevated to petty nobility, as in English. Not that a nobleman needn't be a servant, depending on whom he serves. I seem to recall that in English, I mean in England, the Jack, whether one-eyed or two-faced, is also called a Knight. Or am I thinking of chess? And a Swedish Dam is normally a Lady. All knowledge derives from translation.

The symmetry of KQK was probably appealing, as are the chess symbols for King, Queen, Knight: KQKn. It may have been mentioned that the German word for the jack in a deck of cards is "bube." The surname "Dreyer" means "group of three." I wonder about the critics who find an anagram in "Vivian Badlook." I can't figure this one out, though there are two Vivians--photographer and child--in the novel, and the name obviously links to Darkbloom. The tourist and the seaside is an obvious anagram for V. N.

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