themselves to
her? would there be a pang in her heart and a blush on her face? or, on
the contrary, would the remark give her pleasure, make her joyous and
gay? Why, one needs only to make the experiment--the result will not be
uncertain.

However, we learn--by authority of deeply reasoned and searching
conjecture--that the baby bore the journey well, and that that was
why the young wife was happy. That accounts for two per cent. of the
happiness, but it was not right to imply that it accounted for the other
ninety-eight also.

Peacock, a scholar, poet, and friend of the Shelleys, was of their party
when they went away. He used to laugh at the Boinville menagerie, and
"was not a favorite." One of the Boinville group, writing to Hogg, said,
"The Shelleys have made an addition to their party in the person of a
cold scholar, who, I think, has neither taste nor feeling. This, Shelley
will perceive sooner or later, for his warm nature craves sympathy."
True, and Shelley will fight his way back there to get it--there will be
no way to head him off.

Towards the end of November it was necessary for Shelley to pay a
business visit to London, and he conceived the project of leaving
Harriet and the baby in Edinburgh with Harriet's sister, Eliza
Westbrook, a sensible, practical maiden lady about thirty years old, who
had spent a great part of her time with the family since the marriage.
She was an estimable woman, and Shelley had had reason to like her, and
did like her; but along about this time his feeling towards her changed.
Part of Shelley's plan, as he wrote Hogg, was to spend his London
evenings with the Newtons--members of the Boinville Hysterical Society.
But, alas, when he arrived early in December, that pleasant game was
partially blocked, for Eliza and the family arrived with him. We are
left destitute of conjectures at this point by the biographer, and it
is my duty to supply one. I chance the conjecture that it was Eliza
who interfered with that game. I think she tried to do what she could
towards modifying the Boinville connection, in the interest of her young
sister's peace and honor.

If it was she who blocked that game, she was not strong enough to block
the next one. Before the month and year were out--no date given, let us
call it Christmas--Shelley and family were nested in a furnished house
in Windsor, "at no great distance from the Boinvilles"--these decoys
still residing at Bracknell.

What we need,