it is only the smell of cinnamon that stops him from drawing

[cuccioloneus]

Please explain me what does it mean the phrase “it is only the smell of cinnamon that stops him from drawing the other in the matching pair” taken from the British book THE NURSE" BY J.A. CORRIGAN

I’m an Italian man resident in Italy who strives to improve my English and understand words and phrases from British and American books.

Thank you.
Giuliano

 

[Tarheel]

It's a mystery to me. (Additional context might be helpful.)

I'm guessing that it's a novel. That phrase is, I think, relevant to the context in which it appears, but I don't know what that is.

 

[emsr2d2]

Please explain me what does it mean the phrase

What does “It is only the smell of cinnamon that stops him from drawing the other in the matching pair” mean?

taken from the British book THE NURSE" BY J.A. CORRIGAN

Source: The Nurse by J A Corrigan

I’m an Italian man resident in Italy who strives to improve my English and understand words and phrases from British and American books. Unnecessary.
Thank you. Unnecessary.
Giuliano Unnecessary.

Please note my multiple changes above. Don't make your posts more complicated than they need to be. You don't need to keep giving us information about your location or nationality. Don't thank us in advance. We don't need your real name. Keep it simple and keep it short. Ask the question "What does XXX mean?" then write "Source" + name of book (in italics) + name of author.

 

[jutfrank]

You have to give us more context to make sense of this, Giuliano.

Is somebody playing cards, perhaps?

 

[cuccioloneus]

It's a mystery to me. (Additional context might be helpful.)

I'm guessing that it's a novel. That phrase is, I think, relevant to the context in which it appears, but I don't know what that is.

Please note my multiple changes above. Don't make your posts more complicated than they need to be. You don't need to keep giving us information about your location or nationality. Don't thank us in advance. We don't need your real name. Keep it simple and keep it short. Ask the question "What does XXX mean?" then write "Source" + name of book (in italics) + name of author.

Please note my multiple changes above. Don't make your posts more complicated than they need to be. You don't need to keep giving us information about your location or nationality. Don't thank us in advance. We don't need your real name. Keep it simple and keep it short. Ask the question "What does XXX mean?" then write "Source" + name of book (in italics) + name of author.

I'm adding additional context to the book i'm reading.

Source: The Nurse by J A Corrigan

What does “It is only the smell of cinnamon that stops him from drawing the other in the matching pair” mean?

I took the phrase indicated above from the following context below:

he attempts to remember something about his life,anything,but the fog inside his brain is making it difficult. he tries to move again,but his limbs are utterly unresponsive. then a familiar aroma enters the unfamiliar room. It's the nurse,he thinks. She smells of cinnamon and she's the one who talks to him. He likes that. The other members of staff never talk; they perform their duties and leave. She's moving around his bed, but she hasn't spoken. His mother smelt of cinnamon a long time ago, and it's as if his senses and subconscious are working to create another plane of time. A fragmented memory stabs. His mother has been here to see him-before,when he was in intensive care-and told him something she thought he couldn't hear. She didn't think he'd pull through. He listens hard. He won't know for certain who's in the room until they speak. What did his mother tell him? Her words are somewhere inside his mind. He will remember. Soon. He gives up attempting and instead allows himself to give in to sleep, and to his relief, a curtain begins to close across his consciousness. It is only the smell of cinnamon that stops him from drawing the other in the matching pair. Then a voice speaks. 'I'm so sorry.' He's uncertain of its timbre, unsure if it's a man or a woman,doubtful of the smell, and the panic begins to press inside him. Something is very wrong.

 

[Tarheel]

@cuccioloneus I still don't get the "matching pair" part. If I were you I would just keep reading. Eventually all the pieces will fit.

 

[teechar]

Giuliano,
Are you sure there is no reference to, for example, cards (as suggested by jutfrank above) earlier in the text?

 

[Skrej]

I think it's a reference to drawing the curtains closed. One of the curtains has been drawn across his consciousness, and the only thing preventing him from drawing the other (i.e the matching pair) of curtains together (completely slipping off into what's likely a drug-induced unconsciousness) is the smell of cinnamon. The scent of cinnamon from the nurse keeps reminding him of his mother and whatever she said that he can't quite recall.

Then he hears this new voice, can't tell if it's a man or woman (a man meaning it's not the nurse or his mother), isn't sure what the smell accompanying the voice is, and starts to panic that it means something is wrong.