He had moved on, as had so many in their lives, and they continued in a fragmented reverie which, they had learned, often announced some change in the works.
* * * * * * * * * *
"He had moved on, as had so many in their lives"
Purgatory could be considered a place between Heaven and Earth or, in other words, the atmosphere where balloons float. Those trapped in Purgatory but not expiating their sins would constantly see others enter and then "move on" as they atoned before them. We have also seen that Lew Basnight has a paranormal ability to move between worlds or dimensions so I'm not suggesting Lew has died and found himself in Purgatory like perhaps the Chums have (I seriously don't think they age!): he just managed to visit their "realm" for awhile before moving on. Not to Heaven! God no! Denver might be close to Heaven but it'll never be mistaken for it.
"they continued in a fragmented reverie"
The Chums currently exist in a dreamlike state. The tone of their adventure, after Lew announces his leaving, quickly changed from linear plot to a sullen-toned vague pauper's existence. I'd also note that existing in a fragmented reverie accurately describes any of Pynchon's characters' existences in his works. Just try to follow Slothrop's adventures in a manner that isn't completely broken up into scattered, dreamlike moments, shitting his guts out one moment, fucking a bohemian witch another, and then dancing in a cellar with a vampire. And that's all within like twenty pages of each other! Just imagine what he gets up to in the other 700 pages!
"some change in the works"
What are "the works" being alluded to here? The work of their organization? Or some aspect of reality? Is their current existence vague and fragmented because reality is reorganizing itself and they have no idea what new form it will take, and thus, what their next assignment will be?
It sure would be a lot easier to follow a Pynchon novel if it wasn't full of mystical hoodoo controlled by powerful forces for unknown reasons!
