Talkies   Peter Chappel lost his Christian name by popular decree and became Talkie, transmitter of moving pictures with sound.   Talkie had supervised the mounting of a self-lit sign on the Odeon’s peeling brow. It simply said—TALKIES.   The silent era was passé and its piano sold; the mute intensity of Valentino usurped by the intonation of Flynn and Gable.   Byroads through scrub led to the Odeon and it was hard to believe that Chaplin had displayed the eloquence of silence here.   Talkie outdid the bank manager for status, and the clergy trumped him only on funeral…