Implied or explicit, definite or possible, here is a list of every single instance of Samuel's ghost haunting the narrative.
The first instance is also one of the only two times Samuel is mentioned by name. It establishes pretty much the basis for every mention going forward: that Adam, Samuel, and Schiro were in business together before Something Happened, that Adam and Samuel were a thing, and that Adam killed Samuel by shooting him three times in the head.
This moment tells us that Samuel was partially responsible for the breakdown of relations between Adam and Schiro, and that the official story Adam's been telling is that it's all his fault — homosexual, incompetent, perhaps even traitorous? Adam has no reservations dragging his only love's name through the mud to save his own ass. hm. reminds me of someone.
Schiro could well be talking about himself, and how Adam neglected to mention Schiro's part in his own success. But given that he knew about Adam and Samuel, and that was the reason Adam killed him, and the fact that this scene is about how Adam being gay threatens his position in the hierarchy, and the way that Schiro is looking at Jules Like That, well. he could well also be saying that Adam is dishonoring his "old friend" Samuel by being with Jules.
Guy who genuinely sucks so bad. good lord.
"Czar's new lapdog" naturally implies the existence of Czar's old lapdog so this line also refers indirectly to Samuel. You do really start to get the sense that Jules is permanently living in Samuel's shadow in this relationship, huh.
Once again, "a second time" necessarily refers to a first time, which, as established, had something or other to do with Samuel; namely that he fucked up somehow (which by Adam standards probably means made a perfectly justified decision that Adam didn't like), and that he died.
This one is maybe a bit of a stretch, since "stabs his friends in the back" does most likely refer to Schiro, as Roselli mentioned before ("were you bad in business or did you betray him"), but who stabbed Adam in the back? What was the problem that Samuel caused for him that makes Adam call him a "bad partner" who is solely to blame for the falling-out with Schiro? This is clearly referring to The Whole Mess that Samuel was involved in, so even if it does not for certain reference him as a person directly I am counting it because it is important to what we know of his story thus far.
"Here" being, of course, being forced to kill his one true love in order to save his own skin. and him justifying it to himself as necessary, as just the way things work in this world, oughhhh it kills me that he needs to tell himself this to live with himself. gah
And we come to the last time Samuel ever gets mentioned by name. There are several things about this scene, first of all that Jules did ?? not bother to remember Samuel's name ???? he really does NOT care, my god. Second, we learn that Samuel was, as much as circumstances would allow, a good person — at least how Adam sees him, which may well be colored by nostalgia.
That makes for 9 times that Samuel is (maybe) referenced throughout the book. What we know of him from the text itself is that he was... kind? and that he was wrapped up in the business between Adam and Schiro, and played a major role in their falling-out. it would also seem that his relationship with Adam was more of an open secret than anything, something many knew about and knew not to talk about. it's also possible (key word possible) that whatever he did, Adam perceived as a betrayal, at least in the moment, and that contributed to Adam's willingness to kill him.
from Anaïs' blog posts, we also know that they were very comfortable around each other, though in a much quieter way than Jules and Eufrasio, and if not for The Horrors, would've ended up an old married PACSed couple. we also, importantly, know that he and Adam and Hetman were a business trio, which has some fascinating implications for how his death affected the group dynamic and whether Hetman knew Schiro.
all will be revealed on September 4th..........
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