Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0006211, Sat, 17 Nov 2001 10:58:08 -0800

Subject
Re: Query: Humbert's Diary (fwd)
Date
Body
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2001 13:53:25 -0800
From: Mark Bennett <mab@straussandasher.com>
I think the most reasonable answer is that at the time HH kept the diary he
could not foresee that CH would ever ransack his room looking for "locked up
love letters." He had stopped keeping the diary approximately 5 days before
CH drove DH to Camp Q, leaving behind with Louise the letter to HH in which
CH both confessed her love for him and presented him with the Hobson' choice
(Humbson' choice?) of moving out of 342 Lawn Street or marrying her. Before
these events occurred HH had no reason to believe that he would ever again
have a "loving wife" who would find his diary and decipher its "microscopic
script," written in HH's "smallest, most satanic hand." I think the more
important question is why HH didn't immediately remove or destroy the diary
as soon CH's indicated to him that she believed the little mahogany table
wherein it was hidden contained HH's old love letters. Knowing how "insanely
jealous" CH was of his past, HH should have easily foreseen that she would
not rest until she confirmed her suspicion. Oh well, had HH acted prudently
CH would not have found the diary, she would not have been run down by Fred
Beale's Packard, HH would not have become DH's default dad, and so on . . .


>Hello,

I'm sorry if everyone apart from me knows the answer to this one already,
but could someone explain to me why Humbert does not just write his diary in
a language Charlotte Haze doesn't understand? 'Obvious abbreviations' at the
beginning of I, 11 suggests in some obscure way that he is not too concerned
about being found out...

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