[fantasyfan]

In some ways the novel plays on what Masie doesn't know. Chapter 8, for instance, is filled with ironies which depend on an adult reader being fully aware of the undertones of the conversation between Sir Claude and the second Mrs Beale. Note this little conversation in which the erotic attraction between the two adults is cleverly developed:

'Maisie, in her charmed mood, drank in an imputation on her years which at another moment might have been bitter; but the charm was sensibly interrupted by Mrs. Beale's screwing her round and gazing fondly into her eyes, "You're willing to leave me, you wretch?"

'"The little girl deliberated; even this consecrated tie had become as a cord she must suddenly snap. But she snapped it very gently. "Isn't it my turn for mamma?"

'"You're a horrible little hypocrite! The less, I think, now said about 'turns' the better," Mrs. Beale made answer. "I know whose turn it is. You've not such a passion for your mother!"

'"I say, I say: do look out!" Sir Claude quite amiably protested.

'"There's nothing she hasn't heard. But it doesn't matter—it hasn't spoiled her. If you knew what it costs me to part with you!" she pursued to Maisie.

'Sir Claude watched her as she charmingly clung to the child. "I'm so glad you really care for her. That's so much to the good."

'Mrs. Beale slowly got up, still with her hands on Maisie, but emitting a soft exhalation. "Well, if you're glad, that may help us; for I assure you that I shall never give up any rights in her that I may consider I've acquired by my own sacrifices. I shall hold very fast to my interest in her. What seems to have happened is that she has brought you and me together."

'"She has brought you and me together," said Sir Claude.

'His cheerful echo prolonged the happy truth, and Maisie broke out almost with enthusiasm: "I've brought you and her together!" '

So we have the beginning of the marriage and sexual carousel! Masie, is certainly not fully aware of the sexual interplay of the conversation. However, the fact that Masie likes this pair so much certainly show us how much she does eventually know when she finally makes her choice much later.

I can understand why Bookpossum thinks that Sir Claude is a paedophile. Some of his comments can be read so--but so can those of Mrs Beale:

'Maisie knew them all, and none indeed were to be compared to Sir Claude. He laughed back at Mrs. Beale; he looked at such moments quite as Mrs. Wix, in the long stories she told her pupil, always described the lovers of her distressed beauties—"the perfect gentleman and strikingly handsome." He got up, to the child's regret, as if he were going. "Oh I dare say we should be all right!"

'Mrs. Beale once more gathered in her little charge, holding her close and looking thoughtfully over her head at their visitor. "It's so charming—for a man of your type—to have wanted her so much!"

"a man of your type . . . .wanted her so much!"--does Mrs Beale sense a child-molester?

But I cannot help but feel that this is a case of modern sensibility being applied to a work in a way that the author didn't necessarily have in mind at all. Sir Claude may indeed be a man with no deeply held morality, but that doesn't prevent him from having all the social graces. He has manners. He doesn't have morality; that is a theme developed at length by Jane Austen and James follows in her tradition-- though he is far more pessimistic in his general philosophy. At any rate, Sir Claude is simply a very charming man with a rather loose general morality. I don't think that we need assume that Sir Claude has paedophilia. In fact, in my opinion--and I stress that is all it is--to do so would add a dreadful darkness to the novel that is not normally found in his works.