One more Green Knowe puzzle, and then I'll move on with my life...

[steepholm]

This time it's Boggis's great-grandson who's at the heart of the mystery. In my (British) edition of The Children of Green Knowe, Boggis explains to young Tolly that his sons and grandson were killed in the world wars, and that his only remaining descendants are his granddaughter and her son. Tolly is disappointed that the Boggis name will die out, but Boggis explains that it won't, though for the wrong reasons: his granddaughter is unmarried. All the same, he's pleased that the boy's going to be called Boggis rather than Liquorice, the father's surname, and adds: 'His mother's a good girl barring accidents.'

The other day I was reading an article on this book with some students, and one pointed out that the author (Lynne Rosenthal) has Boggis's granddaughter keeping her name because she married a cousin. Is this a slip by the critic, or was the passage changed so as not to offend (American?) sensibilities with the imputation of Boggis bastardy? If anyone out there has an American edition of the book handy and could check the relevant passage (which is in the last chapter) I'd be very interested to know. But it's only idle curiosity, so don't bust a gut.

Comments

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Can't help on Boggis, but I was startled to realise on re-reading The Children of Green Knowe that Tolly's name isn't Oldknow. As you will recall, the same passage explains that his father met Miss Linnet when he came to Green Knowe to tell them about Boggis's grandson. I commented on this to a friend, who was also surprised - it seems we all assume he's Tolly Oldknow - and I think Lucy Boston's son may have been confused, too, because his illustration of Tolly's trunk includes the initials T. O.

The other thing I'd forgotten is that they're all Catholics!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

You're quite right! The relevant facts were rattling round my brain but had somehow managed to avoid making each other's acquaintance. So perhaps the Oldknow name destined by outlived by that of Boggis after all?

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Tolly could always change it... if she leaves him the house (though he'd have the same problem about paying for its upkeep), he could pretend it was a condition, or something. Not that I think he's inclined to lie to his father; he could just say he thought it more appropriate to maintain the Oldknow name.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Don't know what happened to my typing in the last sentence of the previous comment! I was falling asleep, actually - thence to dream of a Boggis with a long trunk branded with the letters T.O. (standing for Tobias Oliphant), two lily-white boys, an antique flute and the Pope in a pear tree...