RS Gwynn: Among
other things, I suspect that he (and thus Kinbote) is the little "Christopher"
mentioned in a strange aside. C. K. is certainly the only "bearer of Christ" in
this book, and I take his Christianity seriously; it is only in his Christian
musings that he expresses remorse for his life ("We who borrow in filth every
day . . . .").
Jansy: There is a famous
quiz: Christophorus Christum, sed Christus sustulit
orbem: Constiterit pedibus dic ubi Christophorus? which was quoted by S.Freud ( SE. vol. I ) both in Latin and in
German.
Konrad Richter: " Der deutsche S. Christoph"
Christoph trug Christum,Christum trug die ganze Welt, Sag´wo had Cristoph/
Damals hin den Fuss gestellt?
In my poor rendering, in English: Saint Christopher carried Christ/Christ carried the whole world /
Now tell me where did Christoph find a place as a foot- hold?
The problem about references and "standpoints" was
succinctly stated by Archimedes: Give me a place to stand and I will move the
earth ( Pappus of Alexandria) I think it is difficult, if not
impossible, to establish any "central reference" in VN's works. Could
the little Christopher ( not a giant saint) serve to imply this absence of a
fixed "standpoint" in Pale Fire, and elswhere in
VN?