The call went through immediately, and Scarsdale, excusing himself, withdrew to an instrument in another part of the suite.
* * * * * * * * * *
By instrument, Pynchon means telephone. Maybe in 1893, rooms existed that were exclusively used for the telephone. So that you could have your conversations with your mistresses and evil business partners in private, away from the leering ears and prying eyes of your house staff and children. Although maybe, by instrument, Pynchon meant toilet and Scarsdale has gone off to take a crap. Who can tell?! If I can convince enough people to interpret it that way in some kind of academic paper, that's what it'll mean, right?! Man, I've got to go back and get my Masters! Look for my thesis in a few years: "Toilets in Literature, Movies, and Dirty Playground Jokes." Pulp Fiction will feature quite extensively in my thesis!
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