Page 267: In Arizona, ask Fate overhears a conversation between a young man and someone identified as “Professor Kessler.” The first time Kessler is mentioned in the novel is actually back in the Part About the Critics. Amalfitano takes Espinoza and Pelletier to a bar in Santa Teresa and the two critics overhear a conversation between several students. Page 138: “Someone, one of the boys, talked about a murder epidemic. Someone said something about the copycat effect. Someone spoke the name Albert Kessler.”
On his way into Santa Teresa, Oscar Fate sees two different omens. Page 270: “The horse was black and after a moment it moved and vanished into the dark.” Page 272: “They’re turkey buzzards, they’re always cold at this time of night.” In the book of Revelation, seven seals are opened by the Lion of Judah, each portending a deepening of the end times. The third seal is a black horse whose rider holds scales. This is the third horseman of the Apocalypse. The black horse brings drought and famine. This famine also indicates poverty—a poor people headed for death (the pale horse, the fourth horseman).
Ijustreadaboutthat has a great summary of this section of the novel. Highly recommended.
For what it is worth, Fate dreams or day dreams about a vision involving the scales of justice, except instead of the two plates on either side of the scales, there are bottles. One bottle with sand that is leaking out holes and the other bottle full of acid that is being eaten through from within. It reminded me of an hour glass as much as a scales. Time running out for justice, for the soul of S. Teresa?
Oh yes, good catch there, Susan.