Is there any Waite book actually explaining the RWS attributions?

Teheuti said:

At the point in the story where the 6 of Swords comes, the three murderers of Hiram Abiff try to get away by boarding a boat to cross a water. The boatman refuses them and so they are unable to escape. With Six being Tiphareth (Beauty and in Christian Cabala the place of the sacrifice of Love), it is clear that they were not worthy to make the crossing.

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My interpretation is a little different. With the death of Hiram Abiff the Word is lost. The Word is the Will, the true directing force. In the RWS image this is most likely represented by the Phallic Oar. Without that the boat(mind) cannot cross the water successfully. In my opinion this points to the more negative aspects of the card such as selfishness, conceit, and intellectual pride. This is a mind that cuts itself off from higher guidance and tries to take all the credit for itself. But the mind is merely a vehicle of experience.

Aeon418 said:

My interpretation is a little different. With the death of Hiram Abiff the Word is lost.

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I understand your interpretation of the symbolism. I also agree with it being a story of loss. In actuality, all the Minor Arcana are expressions of Waite's meta-story of Loss, while the Majors are the story of Restoration—which Waite himself explains in The Holy Grail:
"The same story of loss is told everywhere, though never in the same way. But a story also continues, from age to age, that somewhere, sometime, the missing Word, the key to our Existence, will be restored."

What I was describing is the fact that the cards are literal illustrations of scenes in the Hiram Abiff story. Pixie did what she was trained to do—she illustrated stories told to her by Waite. The cards illustrate the story perfectly and in order. At this point in the story, the murderers attempt to escape by boat, which just happens to correspond nicely with the old divinatory meanings of travel over water.

I've been following this discussion from the wings, I'm afraid you're both too learned for me to contribute much, but you've both given me so much information, and set me on reading tangents that will keep me busy well into the next decade.

I wish I could set you two off on threads on every one of the cards, perhaps a radio talk show

Teheuti said:

"The same story of loss is told everywhere, though never in the same way. But a story also continues, from age to age, that somewhere, sometime, the missing Word, the key to our Existence, will be restored."

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I couldn't agree more. Especially with the last bit.

The Water in the 6 of Swords is Mem - XII The Hanged Man who is the dead Osiris, trapped in Ammenti because of his Lost Phallus. He is symbolic of humanity that has lost the Word and flounders in the Waters of Illusion.

But as every Thoth-er knows the Hanged Man is now a Cenotaph, the Masons are out of work, and the Word is found.

Five and forty apprentice masons out of work!
Fifteen fellow-craftsmen out of work!
Three Master Masons out of work!
All these sat on their haunches waiting The Report
of the Sojourner; for THE WORD was lost.
This is the Report of the Sojourners: THE WORD
was LOVE; and its number is An Hundred and
Eleven.
Then said each AMO; for its number is An Hundred
and Eleven.
Each took the Trowel from his LAP, whose number
is An Hundred and Eleven.
Each called moreover on the Goddess NINA, for
Her number is An Hundred and Eleven.
Yet with all this went The Work awry; for THE
WORD OF THE LAW IS ΘΕΛΗΜΑ.

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Let not the waters whereon thou journeyest
wet thee. And, being come to shore, plant thou the
Vine and rejoice without shame.

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Aeon — WOW! Fabulous.