Some Humor In Satan's World

Visiting Serendipity, Inc., Nicholas van Rijn prepares to smoke a cigar. Reminded that he has not been invited to smoke, he replies:

"'Oh, that's all right, don't apologize, I know you got a lot on your minds.'" (Chapter IX, p. 419) (For full reference, see here.)

- and exhales a blue cloud, thus symbolizing his complete control of the meeting in which he turns the tables on his adversaries.

On screen, the director of Security, Garver sees an SI partner and:

"At his back loomed van Rijn. Garner suppressed most of his automatic rage at glimpsing that man." (Chapter X, p. 425)

The SI man must retract his earlier accusations against van Rijn's outfit:

"Each word seemed to taste individually bad; he spat them out fast. 'We find there has been a deplorable misunderstanding. It must be corrected at once.'" (p. 426)

"'Freeman van Rijn generously' - Kim had to fight to get the adverb out - 'offered us advice.'" (ibid.)

"'...Freeman van Rijn will, sub rosa, be our broker.'
"'At a fat commission,' Garver groaned.
"Kim could not refrain from groaning back, 'Very fat.'" (p. 427)

"'You have made your own settlement - with van Rijn?' Garver whispered.
"'Yes,' said Kim, like one up whom a bayonet has been rammed." (p. 428)

Behind this humor, we glimpse van Rijn's cunning and power. He directs this power towards a worthy end. Van Rijn suspects a threat to civilization and takes unilateral action against it. However, other merchant princes of the Polesotechnic League do the exact opposite: endanger civilization for short-term selfish goals. The decline of the League has begun.