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Well, who knows? I think writers are like magpies and collect ideas from many places. And it might not have occurred to me if I had not read Lolita, and also have been hearing in the news about a big enquiry here in Australia into institutional child abuse. It just seemed to me so strange that, for example, Sir Claude came to meet Maisie when she was still at her father's home, as if he just couldn't wait to do so. Also the way he manages to charm all the adults, and endear himself to the child.
It is not something of which I have any personal knowledge thank goodness, but have heard enough about it for me to think of it as the explanation for what is otherwise quite inexplicable behaviour.
I have not yet finished the book, and I don't expect that James would indicate unequivocally that this is what he had in mind. But such a neglected child would surely be very vulnerable to anyone with predatory inclinations. Perhaps that is what occurred to Nabokov, so he used this as a jumping off point.
As I said, I could be completely wrong. But it's hard not to see the possibilities after having thought of it. And as we know from present day cases, people really close to abused children don't realise it is happening until it is too late.
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