LIFE AND LETTERS
991
than Mary, and that person could hardly have been Claire Claire–
mont, despite all Byron's ugly gossip. The question is who was the
mother?"
"Yes" said Professor Searle. "It's a mystery which I don't sup–
pose will be solved, like many others in Shelley's life. I sometimes
doubt whether we have any right to solve them. Oh! don't think I'm
denying the importance of the biographical element in literary ap–
preciation. I know very well how much a full knowledge of a writer's
life, yes, I suppose even of his unconscious life, adds to the interpre–
tation of his work; particularly, of course, with any writers so fun–
damentally subjective as the Romantics. But I'm more and more dis–
inclined to expose skeletons that have been so carefully buried. I sup–
pose it's a reticence that comes with old age" he added.
"I doubt if it's a defensible standpoint" said Elspeth. "Think of
the importance of Mary Shelley's relations with Hogg and with Pea–
cock, what a lot they explain of Shelley's own amoral standpoint to–
wards married fidelity. Or again, how much of Leigh Hunt's instabili–
ty and failure can be put down to the drain of his wife's secret drink–
ing."
"Yes, I suppose so" said Professor Searle. "But when one ap–
preciates a man's work deeply, it means in the long run respecting
him and respecting his wishes. You see it isn't only the revealing of
facts that have been carefully hidden, it's our interpretation that may
be so vitally wrong, that would hurt the dead so. We blame Mary for
her infidelity and Mrs. Hunt for her insobriety, but who knows if
that is not exactly the thing that Shelley and Hunt would most have
hated? Who knows if they did not hold themselves responsible?"
Elspeth spoke quite abruptly. "Do you hold yourself responsible
for
your
wife's drinking?" she asked.
Professor Searle drained his glass of port slowly, then he said
"I've been afraid that this would happen. I think you have made a
mistake in asking such a question. Oh! I know you will say I am
afraid of the truth, but I still think there are things that are better
left unsaid. But now that you have asked me I must answer-yes, in a
large degree, yes."
"How? how?" asked Elspeth impatiently.
"My wife was a very beautiful woman and a very brilliant one.
Not the brilliance that belongs to the world of scholars, the narrow
