Dear Fred, David, Alastair, Tim and Susan, thank you very much for your help!
It was very surprising that the whole phrase is a hidden reference on "Peter Simple", from thr beginning ("d--d" and "damned" respectively) to the end ("son of the bitch" and "hound" - or "hunting hound" though?). Fred and David's hypothesis of a pass given to missionaries sounds very convincing, as well as Susan Treggiari's supposition that it could be "a pass given by a missionary (e.g. to attest to a conversion)".
However, it well may be an "inside joke" destined only for inner circle, e.g. "Change here for Winchester, Ashuelot, Nashua etc." or (as I suspect) italic type in the same text.
Once again, thank you very much!
Yan Shapiro
|