Chapter 1: Section 2: Page 16: Line 81 (186)

 Wherewith Randolph saluted, turned, and vanished into the great fragrant darkness.

* * * * * * * * * *

Is Randolph the personification of Satan? Remember that his name is an anagram of DAMN ORC ON A LOST SHIP and the "DAMN ORC" part of that is in reference to the character of Orc in William Blake's America A Prophecy who is a Luciferian character of rebellion and unrest! So here we get further proof that this is who Randolph is as he vanishes into darkness.

The darkness is only fragrant because he's in the middle of a gigantic weenie roast (and also maybe because he's surrounded by pre-teen and teenaged boys and, well, you know how "good" they smell).

Chapter 1: Section 2: Page 16: Line 77-80 (182-185)

 "About the fringes," Randolph reminded the liberty-goers, "of any gathering on the scale of this Exposition, are apt to lurk vicious and debased elements, whose sole aim is to take advantage of the unwary. I will not dignify it by naming that sinister quarter where such dangers are most probably to be encountered. The very vulgarity of its aspect, particularly by night, will speak for itself, disinclining all but the most reckless of their well-being to linger in contemplation upon, much less actually investigate, the unprofitable delights offered therein. A word to the wise . . . or, in this case . . . hrrumph, hmmm, howsoever . . . good liberty, boys, I say, and good luck."

* * * * * * * * * *

Randolph is warning the boys not to frequent the sex workers. He is not issuing this warning as a proclamation that engaging in a business transaction for sex is wrong. He is warning them that the area where the sex workers are "allowed" to conduct their business tends to attract other people who will take advantage of any boy desperate for some sexy time action (he deems this kind of boy as "reckless"). He does not order them to avoid these places! He's just issuing them a warning, or as he puts it, "a word to the wise." Of course he realizes these boys aren't really up to that turn of phrase, tries to think of another adjective to describe them than "wise," comes up short, gives up, and just wishes them good luck. Randolph St. Cosmo is a man (older lad?) who knows the limits of his advice and the limits of his audience and simply gets on with it. He gave the warning and now, well, it's up to them to heed it.

One of the "vicious and debased elements" at the Chicago World's Fair was H. H. Holmes so I hope Darby doesn't wind up in the murder castle just because he wanted to touch his first boobie.

Chapter 1: Section 2: Page 16: Line 76 (181)

 As his bantering tone, however, was not unmixed with manly admiration, Randolph chose not to respond to the innuendo with the pique it would otherwise have merited, instead riposting, "I had not been aware that fellows of your years recognized any distinction between the sexes," drawing from Lindsay an appreciative chuckle, before promptly returning to moral seriousness.

* * * * * * * * * *

If Randolph were actually going to meet a girl, his response would probably have been fairly vulgar, detailing exactly the kinds of things he was going to do with that girl that would make Darby weep with jealousy (even at his young age). But his measured and droll insult back at Darby indicates he's got other concerns which require him to dress so formally.

Speaking of the insult, it ranks up there with Lindsay's previous insult about Darby's mother. These boys deliver insults like they're doling out facts to students lacking decent comprehension skills during a University lecture about the nature of the universe.

I feel like a failed writer (I could probably end that sentence there and it would be true! Also, I could replace the word "feel" with "am"!) putting "University" and "universe" in the same sentence. But then I remember John Barth's Giles Goat-Boy and it allows me to think, "I'm practically one of the best writers of my generation!"

I'm really torn about that hall monitor suck-up Lindsay! I hate his need for rules and regulations and his bullying attitude. But I love that he appreciates a really good insult!

Chapter 1: Section 2: Page 16: Line 75 (180)

 "Say, Randolph," called Darby, "you look like you're going over to meet a girl!"

* * * * * * * * * *

Oh Darby! So young! Or angelic? Or dead? As a youth and/or an angel, Darby would obviously be sort of mocking in his accusation that Randolph might be interested in girls. At a certain age and/or earthly form, you stop thinking it's gross and idiotic for another boy to like girls and that age is fifty-four (the earthly form is "fifty-four year old carbon based non-sentient creature whose brain has developed to believe it is sentient").

I don't know why Darby would tease Randolph about meeting a girl if they were dead boys. Maybe because girls are less filling?

Chapter 1: Section 2: Page 16: Line 74 (179)

 Randolph emerged from his tent in mufti, every bit as spruce as his liberty section, for he, too, was bound for earthly chores, his Chums of Chance flight uniform having been replaced by a tastefully checked Kentucky hemp suit and Ascot tie, with a snappy fedora topping off the ensemble.

* * * * * * * * * *

I learned the term "mufti" from a comic book but I can't remember which comic book. Probably something by Tom King. It just means civilian clothes rather than the uniforms Randolph usually wears in his duty as the captain of the Inconvenience.

I don't know what a "Kentucky hemp suit" is so I'll just assume it's a suit made out of hemp purchased in Kentucky. It's a good assumption because it looks like, around the time, Kentucky was the largest producer of hemp.

This is probably what Randolph looked like here. But with a more, um, "ascotier" tie!