Purfle

Purfle yanks his runcible-spoon hand back, leaning to the side, twisting his own weapon to keep its tines interlocked with those of Bladdery's, pulling the commando off-balance long enough to release his own foot, then deftly unlinking the spoons and dancing away.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

After a number of short, glittering feints, Purfle dodges in, quick as a fighting-cock.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

Reluc - tantly, Purfle and Bladdery do relax, and, sighing out of puffed cheeks, part.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

Bodine, ten feet away, tosses over the heads of the awakening crowd a fat packet of scrip which the Commando catches, riffle-splits, and gives half of to Purfle, who's already on route to the gangplank of his gray mother the John E. Badass, where the quarterdeck watch are looking more lively, and even a card game in the ship's laundry breaking up so everybody can go watch the big bust.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

Some think that Purfle and Bladdery are really mad at each other.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

Bladdery recovers his footing and moves heavily in pursuit, probing in with a series of jabs then shifting the spoon to his other hand and surprising Purfle with a slash that grazes the sailor's neck, missing the jugular, but not by much.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

With a high slash that Bladdery tries to parry in third, Purfle rips through the Commando's blouse and draws blood.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

To make up some of what he blew on that one, Bo-dine is tonight promoting the First International Runcible Spoon Fight, between his shipmate Avery Purfle and an English Commando named St. John Bladdery.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

Purfle and Bladdery have made simultaneous thrusts and are now corps a corps-with a scrape and clank the runcible spoons are locked, and elbows tense and set.

Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

This was acted at Little Lincoln*s Inn Fields with general applause, aU though most of the characters are but copies j particularly Sir Ni - cholas Purfle w, from The Antitjuary of Marmion; Goosandelo, from Crowne'sSirCourtley. and Sir Geo.

Biographia dramatica, or, A companion to the playhouse: 1782