(urth) The Piteous Gate

[Jeff Wilson]

Roy C. Lackey wrote:

> Jeff Wilson quoted and wrote:
> 
>>>You must be referring to the brief exchange Sev had with Baldanders after
>>>escaping from the antechamber. It was only then that we learned that
>>>Baldanders had been with Sev "in the forest beyond the Piteous Gate."
>>>Baldanders left him there, presumably to search -- successfully -- for
>>>Talos, Jolenta and Dorcas. And Baldanders was burdened with all the
> 
> troupe's
> 
>>>theatrical properties. It makes you wonder how hard Sev really tried to
> 
> find
> 
>>>Dorcas. If slow, dim Baldanders could do it, why not he?
>>
>>Is this sarcasm? As I recall, Baldanders is quite brainy on matters that
>>engage him, and it's no surprise that he and Dr. Talos were able to
>>locate one another, given their origin of their relationship.
> 
> 
> In the passage in question (CLAW, XXII), Severian remarks on Baldanders'
> slow speech and "dull eyes". He also writes, "I found it impossible to be
> angry with this dim, gentle giant." Baldanders had completely forgotten that
> Severian had even been with Talos and himself when they left the city via
> the Piteous Gate.

In light of what we know from the latter books that he's quite 
accomplished at the intellectual business of chemistry and biology, I've 
thought he was putting on a dullard act, or perhaps was showing the 
effects of Dr. Talos' medicine.  Even before Lake Diuturna, he's 
demonstrates a grip on pretend-vs-real stage acting, and even when it's 
appropriate to pretend to not know.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
< http://www.io.com/~jwilson >