 Why is it suspected that William Shawn blushed at Green's remark?
At the table are Gill; William Shawn, then editor of The New Yorker ; and the reclusive English writer Henry Green. Shawn--"with his usual hushed delicacy of speech and manner"--inquires of the novelist whether he could possibly reveal what prompted the creation of such an exquisite work. Moreover, Mehta writes as Shawn's adoring acolyte, whereas Ross writes as his longtime adulterous lover. Just knowing that Mrs. Shawn is still alive adds a certain tension to reading much of what this Other Woman chooses to divulge. Thereafter, the couple set up housekeeping together in an apartment 20 blocks downtown from the Shawn residence on upper Fifth Avenue and stoically endured the sufferings of Shawn's wife, who did not want a divorce.
 As someone who looked into risque material himself, it piqued his curiosity.
 He was known for disallowing sexual content from his publications and was put off by the comment.  As someone who looked into risque material himself, it piqued his curiosity.  The phrasing took him by surprise. It's not the answer he thought he'd receive.  He was prudish in nature, and he was embarrassed by it.