In the evening, back in his cottage of ’12
Private,’ all that had happened to Number 6 became clear when he looked deep
into a dressing table mirror. But there was the question of his
left-handedness. This was “righted” with the aid of a short-circuiting table
lamp and a gas pipe to which he earthed himself. Now feeling much more his old
self, he then set off into the night for his cottage of ‘6 Private.’ But the
white membranic Guardian was on guard duty outside the cottage.
Not wanting to encounter the Guardian,
Number 6 sees a Mini-Moke left parked and unattended close by. He dashes over
to the taxi, and climbing aboard he starts the engine, releases the handbrake,
engages first gear, releases the clutch, and depresses the accelerator, then
quickly jumps out as the taxi moves off. The Guardian either sees this or
senses the movement of the taxi, and sets off in pursuit of it. This is
something of a symbolic moment, as setting the Guardian to chase a moving Mini-Moke,
is rather like throwing a stick for a dog to chase!
Be seeing you
So that's why they call it Rover...
ReplyDeleteHello Enik1138,
DeleteThat's right. Number 6 called the Guardian Rover, but is it that the Guardian's real name, or simply a euphemism on Number 6's part? If its the second then Number 2 is quick to pick up on that use of it. More then that so was the Supervisor when Number 2 gave the order to deactivate Rover immediately. And if its the first, how did Number 6 know that Rover was the Guadian's name, as its the first time the word has ever been mentioned!
Very kind regards
David
BCNU