None could discern in him the shyness that makes a person so conspicuous among people who know each other well and are bound together by the established echoes of private jokes and by an allusive residue of people's names that to them are alive with special significance, making the newcomer feel as if the magazine story he has started to read had really begun long ago ... and he wonders if they have not deliberately contrived a conversation to which he is a stranger.
The passage highlights the feeling of alienation experienced by a newcomer in a close-knit group. This individual struggles to connect with the established dynamics and private jokes that define the relationships within the group. The familiarity amongst the members creates an atmosphere that amplifies the newcomer’s sense of isolation, making him acutely aware of his outsider status.
The comparison to a magazine story that has begun long before the current narrative underscores the disconnection felt by the newcomer. He is left wondering if the conversation is intentionally crafted to exclude him, emphasizing the challenge of merging into a social circle where shared histories and inside references dominate the interaction.
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