‘Now, dearest, let me talk to you. I think we ought to go to Italy. I think my health might receive a renovation there, for want of which perhaps I should never entirely overcome that state of diseased action which is so painful to my beloved. I think Alba ought to be with her father. This is a thing of incredible importance to the happiness perhaps of many human beings. It might be managed without our going there. Yes, but not without an expense which would in fact suffice to settle us comfortably in a spot where I might be regaining that health which you consider so valuable. It is valuable to you, my own dearest. I see too plainly that you will never be quite happy till I am well. Of myself I do not speak, for I feel only for you. First, this money. I am sure that if I ask Horace Smith he will lend me 200_l._ or even 250_l._ more. I did not like to do it from delicacy, and a wish to take only just enough; but I am quite certain that he would lend me the money.’ Thornton Hunt says that it was a characteristic practice with Shelley to specify _one_ sufficient motive for any course of action, and to ignore all minor motives; and that he was thus, without any real cause, sometimes regarded as uncandid or reserved. This is the younger Hunt’s ingenious way of palliating the ugly fact, that Shelley often alleged one motive for a course of action, which was really consequent on another motive. But in this letter to Mary, instead of alleging only one reason for wishing to go to Italy, he alleges several reasons,--(_a_) his concern for his health; (_b_) his concern for his dearest Mary’s happiness, which will be never complete till he is quite well; (_c_) his desire to do the best for Allegra; and (_d_) his care for the ‘many human beings,’ whose happiness may possibly be affected by the arrangements for making Byron take a lively interest in his illegitimate daughter. Here are four motives for determining to go to Italy; but never a word as to the writer’s desire to get his own dear babes by Mary outside the Lord Chancellor’s jurisdiction. Had he been really actuated by the desire, he would surely have specified it to the _mother_ of the children, as the strongest conceivable argument for bringing her to his mind respecting the migration to Italy. CHAPTER XII. GREAT MARLOW. The Misleading Tablet--House and Garden--Claire at Marlow--Shelley’s Delight in Claire’s Voice--_To Constantia Singing_--Source of the Name--Trips to London--_The Marlow Pamphlets_--_Rosalind and Helen_--Other Literary Work at Marlow--Mary’s Treatment and Opinion of Claire--Shelley makes his Will--Date of Probate--The Will’s various Legacies--Significant Legacies to Claire--Object of the Second Legacy of £6000--Did Shelley mean to leave Claire so much as £12,000?--Mr. Froude’s Indiscretion--His Ignorance of the Will.