Chapter XIV: From Marlow to Italy 351

The Hunts and the Shelleys--Their Intimacy--Pecuniary
Difficulties--Dealings with Money-lenders--Leigh Hunt
relieves Shelley of £1400--His Testimony to Shelley’s
virtuous Manners--Shelley’s Benevolence at Marlow--At the
Opera--Departure for Italy--The fated Children--Shelley’s
literary Work and studious Life in Italy--Milan--Allegra sent
to her Father--Elise the Swiss Nurse--Her Knowledge and
Suspicions--Claire and her ‘Sister’--Their Affectionate
Intercourse and Occasional Quarrels--Shelley’s Affection for
Claire--Vagrants in Italy--Pisa--Leghorn--Maria Gisborne--Her
Husband and Son--Claire and Shelley at Venice--Trick played
on Byron--His Civilities to the Shelleys--Little Clara’s
Death--Paolo the Knave--He falls in Love with Elise--Their
Marriage--Paolo’s Wrath and Vengeance--Emilia Viviani--
Shelley’s Adoration of Her--The three-cornered Flirtation--
Mrs. Shelley’s Attitude and Action--Shelley’s Fault in the
Affair--His subsequent Shame at the Business--The imaginary
Assault at the Pisan Post Office.