Cabellian Anagram Decoded
Recently
I reread James Branch Cabell's “Jurgen”. He is fond of anagrams, and I decided
to anagram the name of Jurgen’s wife, Adelais. (Though by ordinary the people
called her Dame Lisa.)
There
are many possibilities. These two stand out:
As ideal
As I deal
I
think those summarize the themes of “Jurgen”.
Note
also that “Dame Lisa” is almost an anagram, with an extra M. Without it, the
closest anagram is
Dea Lisa
Goddess
Lisa! This also fits with “Jurgen”, for the title character, in the midst of a
domestic quarrel with Anaitis (a nature spirit connected to the Moon)
accidentally called her “Lisa”.
Perhaps
Jurgen himself, the former poet, came up with these anagrams, while waiting
quietly in his pawnbroker’s shop.
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