Completely unrelated, and hopelessly behind in the discussion, but if I don't note this now, I never will (which some of you may consider to have been the wiser choice):
The phrase 'as a rule' is used at least four to five times in the first two chapters. I think that there is a thread regarding this phrase, but not due to the number of times it is used. After this, I doubt that it will show up with as much frequency.
Such repetition!