Perhaps we should pause to study van Rijn's face since it plays such a prominent part in the proceedings. Through it, he looks out shrewdly and dramatically projects whatever emotion is appropriate, even flushing turkey red when that suits his purposes.
His visage is described as:
great;
hook-beaked;
multichinned;
mustached;
goateed;
framed in black shoulder-length ringlets;
crinkled with a grin;
with a sloping brow and small jet eyes. (p. 520)
Dalmady expects aggro and intends to give as good as he gets whereas instead van Rijn is perfectly friendly but needs to check out Dalmady. If the latter did good just by luck, then he can continue to be employed in a safe and routine role whereas, if he really did display uncommon insight and initiative, then, after a lot of extra training, he can be promoted to enterpreneurial status "'...on straight commission of ninety percent.'" (p. 552)
"'Hokay?'...
"'Hokay!'" (p. 553)
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I'm NOTHING like Nicholas van Rijn, but I do like and admire him! And we need people like him, Anson Guthrie, and D.D. Harriman. Their vigor, imagination, intelligence, driving ambition could or would lead to great things being achieved. Such as what Elon Musk has accomplished so far and hopes to do still more.
Ad astra! Sean
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