LMB Quote Game

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... I'll reward your try with a small hint ...

If I give two more links to songs about Caroline, do I get a *big* hint?

[Caroline Tredez]

You wish ^^ Ok, the clue is in what isn't asked.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

"[...] The trouble with you, my dear, is that you have too honest a mind. I've no idea how you came by it. [...]"

Who's saying that to who ?

Ok, the clue is in what isn't asked.

You didn't ask for the book. I think that put me on track.

Abbot Monreale says it to Fiametta Beneforte in "The Spirit Ring".

[Caroline Tredez]

Not yet, but you took the right hint ^^.

[voralfred]

Assuming EPS is right about the book, the quote seems to come from a "bad guy", not Abbot Montreale.
Moreover, I don't remember the book too well, and it is lost in the utter disorder of my library. But I think to remember that Fiametta never fell into Ferrante's hands, so I suggest

Ferrante talking to Thur Ochs.

[Caroline Tredez]

Right hint, but still wrong book I didn't ask for the book indeed because it would be self-evident from the characters involved, but it's not Spirit Ring.

[voralfred]

Right hint, but still wrong book I didn't ask for the book indeed because it would be self-evident from the characters involved, but it's not Spirit Ring.

Hmmmm…
_Dreamweaver Dilemma_ is in principle out of bounds.
All other books are in series, but of course some characters appear in only one book… _Falling Free_, or_EoA_, or even _Cryoburn_ and Ivan's book have unusual characters. But I'll take my chance outside the Saga

Wencel Horseriver to Ingrey ?

[SPetty]

I'd be more inclined towards the Baronne to Tej, but I'm in the middle of re-reading Paladin of Souls, so I'll probably wait until I'm done with it before I go looking for it.

The "my dear" kind of points towards a female speaker.

[orchestrali]

To me it sounds like a parent speaking to their kid. I could see it being the Baronne to Tej. Doesn't seem to fit with Chalion, but of course I could be wrong.

[Caroline Tredez]

..."Dreamweaver's dilemma" is off-limit ? Sorry... I thought it was in our list...

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

"[...] The trouble with you, my dear, is that you have too honest a mind. I've no idea how you came by it. [...]"

It's remarkable how commonplace expressions like "my dear", are interpreted very differently by different people, isn't it?
I suppose it depends on one's gender, age, cultural background, language and other influences.

• orchestrali thinks "it sounds like a parent speaking to their kid"
• SPetty believes "The "my dear" kind of points towards a female speaker."
• Voralfred suspects the quote is said by a villain
• Penny (in TBBT) says "Sweetie" to everyone

To me, the sentence suggests:
1. a benevolent elder man (someone like Santa Claus or Abbott Monreale or myself) speaking to a young woman
or
2. an educated and polite gentleman (Gregor, Aral, Simon or sometimes Miles himself) complimenting a woman's honesty
or
3. The sporadic villain (can be an educated faux gentleman) speaking politely to emphasise his horrendous threat

Maybe Arkady says it to Fawn, but I have no idea when or where he did.
It also could be the old Provincara talking to Cazaril.

I'm afraid I can't think of any fitting situations or gentlemen other than those I've mentioned.

[orchestrali]

Oh, it's not the "my dear" part that made me think parent-to-child. It's the "I've no idea how you came by it." Implies the speaker expected something other than an honest mind, based on the speaker's knowledge of the listener's history. If the speaker didn't know much about the listener's past, why would they consider an honest mind unexpected? I suppose the expectation of dishonesty could come from a cultural prejudice—like assuming that all Barrayarans are violent. But then they also say "my dear," which supports my opinion that the two people know each other well. LMB doesn't use "dear" very often...

[voralfred]

"[...] The trouble with you, my dear, is that you have too honest a mind. I've no idea how you came by it. [...]"

It's remarkable how commonplace expressions like "my dear", are interpreted very differently by different people, isn't it?
I suppose it depends on one's gender, age, cultural background, language and other influences.

• (...)
• Voralfred suspects the quote is said by a villain
  (...)

To me, the sentence suggests:
1. a benevolent elder man (someone like Santa Claus or Abbott Monreale or myself) speaking to a young woman
or
2. an educated and polite gentleman (Gregor, Aral, Simon or sometimes Miles himself) complimenting a woman's honesty
or
3. The sporadic villain (can be an educated faux gentleman) speaking politely to emphasise his horrendous threat

Maybe Arkady says it to Fawn, but I have no idea when or where he did.
It also could be the old Provincara talking to Cazaril.

I'm afraid I can't think of any fitting situations or gentlemen other than those I've mentioned.

My assumption the speaker is a villain (of, a priori, unknown sex) is not based on the address "my dear", and not even because "too honest a mind" (Miles does suggest that Ekaterin might be "a touch oversocialized") but of the cynicism of the final remark

I've no idea how you came by it.

[voralfred]

Oh, that's great !

While I was typing, orchestrali also explained her assumption of "parent to child" because of the end of the sentence.

Where I hear a cynical person doubting that any person in her/his/its (or: herm's) right mind should have an honest mind, at least coming from the background the "dear one" comes from, she sees a parent knowing what to expect from his/her/(its?) offspring.

So EPS remark is valid, after all : different people interpret very differently the same expression (here: I've no idea how you came by it.) maybe not so commonplace, but still not too cryptic, either !

[orchestrali]

Indeed. Anyway, I have cheated a bit and found the answer, based on an inadvertent hint from Caroline...

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... an inadvertent hint from Caroline ...

Oh my, now even Caroline is dropping inadvertent hints!

Tsk, tsk! What's the world coming to?

[voralfred]

Could that be Caroline's "inadvertent hint" ?
I had missed it earlier…

..."Dreamweaver's dilemma" is off-limit ? Sorry... I thought it was in our list...

Dreamweaver Dilemma… hmmm….
I have read it, but years ago. All I remember is someone (person spoken to ?) supposed to design a "feelie dream" (I am not even sure they were already called like that in _DD_, this is the name in _Cryoburn_ of the equivalent notion; in "Shards" just called _feelie_) for some bad guy (speaker ?) and seeing something wrong about what (s)he is asked to do.

I stand by my interpretation of "I wonder how you came about it". The "feelie dream" designer needs money, so : "Do what you are paid for and don't ask questions", right?

[Caroline Tredez]

Getting much closer ^^ Yeah, it's Dreamweaver's dilemma, and yes, the one spoken to is the dream "writer". But the speaker's wrong...

[voralfred]

No one has reacted yet ?
Well, then I'll follow EPS's opinions:

(...)
To me, the sentence suggests:
1. a benevolent elder man (someone like Santa Claus or Abbott Monreale or myself) speaking to a young woman
or
2. an educated and polite gentleman (Gregor, Aral, Simon or sometimes Miles himself) complimenting a woman's honesty
or
3. The sporadic villain (can be an educated faux gentleman) speaking politely to emphasise his horrendous threat

(...)

I am now convinced the dreamweaver is indeed a young woman.
The speaker is some benevolent elder man, who is at the same time an educated and polite gentleman, namely the dreamsweaver's mentor, to whom she went for advice about this weird commission she was given.

Edit : OK, so unable to find my copy of the book I looked at its description on wikipedia.
I suppose the speaker was Chalmys Dubauer, who fit my vague memory of Anias Ruey's (the "dreamweaver") mentor.

[Caroline Tredez]

Indeed it is, Voralfred I'll go post your sherlock and you have the next quote.

[voralfred]

OK, so I won't post a quote but a question "à la EPS"

In what books does the name "Dubauer" appear ?


Beware, the correct answer must contain all such books

In case of an incomplete answer, the sherlock goes to the member who completes the list !

[orchestrali]

Okay, I'm not sure I can get all of them off the top of my head but I have to try.

Shards of Honor
Cryoburn
Diplomatic Immunity

Oh, Dreamweaver's Dilemma!

I think there's one other, because I vaguely remember a previous question in this game about how many characters are named/use the name Dubauer.

Is it Cetaganda?

[voralfred]

You need not worry, there is no fifth one (unless I am mistaken myself)

Dreamsweaver Dilemma for Chalmys
_SoH_ for an Ensign whose first name we never learn
_DI_ for a Ba who pretends to be called Ker Dubauer

the pitfall was Cryoburn where Cordelia reminisces about the Ensign, but it did not fool you...

You get a sherlock and the next quote.

Oh, BTW : if anyone finds other mentions of that name there is 1/2 for each a piece of fiction it can be found in (not counting one of the many postfaces or interviews, etc.)

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... there is no fifth one (unless I am mistaken myself)

Yes, you are. Ensign Dubauer is mentioned in Barrayar too.

"I see. Strange . . . now that you mention it, I don't recall seeing any but healthy-looking people, on the streets and so on, except at the hospital. No float chairs, none of those vacuous faces in the tow of their parents . . ."
"Nor will you." Vorkosigan looked grim. "Any problems that are detectable are eliminated before birth."
"Well, we do that, too. Though usually before conception."
"Also at birth. And after, in the backcountry."
"Oh."
"As for the maimed adults . . ."
"Good heavens, you don't practice euthanasia on them, do you?"
"Your Ensign Dubauer would not have lived, here."
Dubauer had taken disruptor fire to the head, and survived. Sort of.

BTW. You awarded the point to Koothrappali instead of orchestrali.
I'll let you correct it, to avoid any misunderstandings.

Please note that you now have 2 of 3 strikes!

[orchestrali]

Ah, I considered Barrayar briefly but I forgot about that scene.

Onto a new quote:

So much self-control in one so secretly strained was almost disturbing.

To whom does the quotation refer? (i.e. who has that much self-control?)
What is causing the secret strain?