We’ve yet to discover exactly why FXC replaces the middle name Gustave with Serge.
Here’s a possible clue.
The footnote itself is referenced in the text of Ship of Theseus describing Corbeau as she tries to keep the potential energy of the conflict from turning kinetic.
And on the next page (85), S meets Stenfalk and we catch our first glimpse of the valise – the valise we later find out has (or had) the S symbol on it. Out of the valise comes a shirt and suit jacket, belonging to Stenfalk, that he provides to S out of compassion.
Much later, on p112, Corbeau provides S with serge trousers, alongside a shirt, socks, and boots. These clothes belonged to Zapadi. As S receives these, Pfeifer is staring through the scrollwork cuts in the shutters – which we later find out forms the shape of two S symbols that S notices as he holds hands with Corbeau. And, just prior to that, S watches Stenfalk carry the valise while staring through the S symbols cut into the shutters.
Is FXC, on p84 in the footnote with the word/name Serge for some reason pointing us to p112 when S receives the serge trousers? Is there a connection to be drawn here between the shirt and coat Stenfalk give to S out of the valise and the shirt, trousers, sock, and shoes Corbeau gives to S? Maybe the keyword trousers could be used in conjunction with the made up names in the footnote on p84 to decode a cipher?
These are the only two times in the book that the word serge is used. Surely they are connected?