Tobias Frogmorton of Cambridge University, like Mainwethering of the Time Patrol London office, is the kind of character who is designed to make the British look farcical but effective despite their farcicalness.
Frogmorton grows zinnias. See image. When the Matucheks entered his house, the Lindens, Steve:
"...couldn't help wondering if they'd come to the right place." (p. 184)
Furniture is antique, books are thick and ancestors are recorded in sepia photographs. Forgmorton's hand feels birdlike, which recalls Shalten of the Time Patrol whose hand feels "...like a bird's foot." (The Shield Of Time, p. 66)
Mainwethering says "'...res naturae..'." (Time Patrol, p. 21) and "'Tempus non nascitur, fit...'" (p. 29) Frogmorton says, "'Fugaces labuntur anni.'" (Operation Luna, p. 184) (The years slip by quickly.)
Addendum: Andrew, Latin Tutor, says, "The fleeting years glide by."
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I'm reminded of S.M. Stirling's "A Slip In Time," his authorized contribution to Poul Anderson's Time Patrol stories. There he proposed the idea that the Austrians of Austria-Hungary deliberately pretended to be more incompetent than they actually were, so that enemies or possible enemies would make the mistake of underestimating them.
Sean
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