Tim,

Perhaps you are thinking of the Zemblan translation of T of A? That's in Kinbote's note to line 39. If it's really BS you mean, are you thinking of the poem in chapter 12, which VN made by combining lines from Moby Dick?

 

A curious sight--these bashful bears

These timid warrior whalemen

 

And now the time of the tide has come;

The ship casts off her cables

 

It is not shown on any map;

True places never are

 

This lovely light, it lights not me;

All loveliness is anguish--

 

 

MR

>>> On 12/15/2008 at 10:43 PM, in message <4946DD7702000012002EC1E4@dudley.holycross.edu>, NABOKV-L <NABOKV-L@HOLYCROSS.EDU> wrote:

Anybody have a copy of Bend Sinister handy? There's a poem I wanted to
quote -- I remember it as some version of the Shakespeare Timon of
Athens passage from which the title of Pale Fire is drawn -- "The moon
is an arrant thief" -- but different. Can someone help me? Thanks!
--Tim Henderson