Annotated 38-27
Kudos to John here for Ardaic’s expressions. We can read his feelings clearly, but it’s every bit believable that Syr’Nj wouldn’t until his last line here.
I’m about to sound a bit sleazy and amoral here, for which I apologize. Getting into the heads of various characters often means suspending morality for a bit…and while Ardaic is a moral person in general, he’s clearly capable of rationalizing a lot if he thinks the end justifies the means.
In purely amoral and strategic terms, then…this is probably the best shot Ardaic could take. It’s still not likely to forge a romantic bond, but his odds are now maybe 50-to-1 instead of 250-to-1. Syr’Nj is clearly going through multiple crises and feels beset on all sides. Her relationship with Ardaic has a long and complex history, but it’s included many moments of warmth and respect. The obstacles of rank and propriety and, oh yes, Byron are now as irrelevant as they’re ever going to get. Pretty soon, Syr’Nj will be once more beyond him, regardless of whether she takes the offer and becomes an Altruist or refuses and becomes a fugitive or dies. And perhaps, if he shows her what is in his heart…he can even sway her, help her see her true destiny as part of Gastonia’s glorious tapestry.
That’s what he thinks, anyway. But even in the highly unlikely event that Syr’Nj rewarded his attentions, that “reward” would still most likely be a very loose, tentative romantic bond…with someone who then immediately became an enemy of the state. (And then Byron would come back to life, with a stronger claim on her heart.)
And, as a side note, I *can’t* imagine that Syr’Nj managed to keep her tirade quiet enough that the line of men ahead of her could not hear her.
“There is…one other thing I care about. … Hostess Twinkies”
He knows he’s reaching for a branch too high for him, but he can’t help his feelings.
And since he will not, even still, go against his station by badmouthing Gastonia to win some points from Syr’Nj, he sees this as the best of the worst situation to throw this in there.
He knows she’s not likely to bite and that it’s ot the best of times, but as he sees it, take it or leave it, the “best of times” is not coming.
He can only hope that now that Byron is gone and she’s faced with very difficult decision, that offering a hand that promises to hold hers and stand with her for as far as he can (probably even knowing that he wouldn’t be able to stand as far as she’d want), that it would be enough.
I think he even did calmly back away when Syr’Nj said “Gosh, thanks… But really no…”
He isn’t the type to throw everything away that easily, but he know he likes her and so he at least tries to stand next to her.
I think “go against his station” is the wrong way to put it. He can’t deal with anyone criticizing Gastonia, and he never tries to argue against such statements, just goes straight to, “yarg stop blaspheming.” That’s not a trait of all first-tier servants of the Heads of Houses; if it’s not entirely unique to Ardaic, the only other characters in the story who have anything like that are Heads of Houses themselves.
I think, rather, he cannot allow the thought that any criticism of Gastonia is legitimate to ever enter his consciousness, or he’ll realize what he’s truly dedicated his life to.
Very true. He’s made his foundation on it and yanking it out would ruin him.
I would think that his best chance was *before* they made her “the offer”. Assuming the best of him, he may not know that, though. He may actually believe that they made her an actual offer, rather than tried to coerce her into a nihilist conspiracy.
I’m pretty sure he’d never have used the words Jarvis used to describe the same things, because that’s not how he thinks about those things. So, to some extent, he be unable to understand why Syr’Nj is so upset. He should still be smart enough to notice *that* she’s upset and maybe save his advances for a few days later, by which time she will surely come to terms with the situation and start to appreciate the amazing opportunities the heads are providing for her and her people …
… right?
Is it a nihilist conspiracy?
I’d peg it as transparently self-serving with some vague pretense of serving the common good, somehow, vaguely.
In many senses, this is exactly the same as mainstream capitalist discourse.