Cousin Henry · Chapter
Cousin Henry Makes Another Attempt explained
Cousin Henry, tormented by guilt and fear, resolves to reveal the hidden will to Farmer Griffith after being insulted by young Cantor.
What happens
Cousin Henry, tormented by guilt and fear, resolves to reveal the hidden will to Farmer Griffith after being insulted by young Cantor. He visits Griffith at Coed but fails to confess directly, instead arranging a meeting for the next day. Later, he retrieves the will from the book and reads it, preparing to surrender it.
Themes in this chapter
Guilt and Conscience
Cousin Henry is tormented by his guilty knowledge of the hidden will, unable to confess or escape his conscience.
Isolation and Paranoia
Henry feels utterly alone, fearing everyone around him, and is paranoid about being exposed or crushed by the lawyer.
Pride and Self-Sacrifice
Henry's pride prevents him from confessing openly, yet he contemplates sacrificing the property to escape his misery.
Characters to notice
- Cousin Henry
Struggles with guilt and fear, decides to reveal the will to Farmer Griffith, but fails to confess directly; later retrieves and reads the will.
- Mr. Griffith
Farmer at Coed; Cousin Henry attempts to confess to him but only arranges a meeting for the next day.
- Joseph Cantor
Young Cantor insults Cousin Henry on the cliffs, accusing him of trespassing and threatening to thrash him.
- Mr. Apjohn
Mentioned as the lawyer whom Cousin Henry fears; his earlier visit left Henry paralyzed with dread.
- Isabel Brodrick
Cousin Henry considers giving the will to her but hates her for her scorn.
Key passages
“When Mr. Apjohn had gone, Cousin Henry sat for an hour, not thinking—men so afflicted have generally lost the power to think—but paralysed by the weight of his sorrow, simply repeating to himself assertions that said no man had ever been used so cruelly.”
After Mr. Apjohn left, Cousin Henry sat motionless for an hour, unable to think clearly, overwhelmed by his misery and convinced no one had ever suffered as he did.
Highlights Henry's paralysis and self-pity after the lawyer's visit.
“He confessed to himself his own weakness, though he could not bring himself to confess his own guilt.”
He admitted his own cowardice but refused to acknowledge his wrongdoing.
Illustrates Henry's internal conflict between self-awareness and denial.
“If they wanted the property for his Cousin Isabel, they were welcome to take it. He desired nothing but to be allowed to get away from this accursed country, to escape, and never more to be heard of there or to hear of it.”
He was willing to give up the estate to Isabel if only he could leave the hated region and never be seen or heard from again.
Shows Henry's desperation to escape his situation.
“He was conscious of his own impotence in deceit.”
He realized he was incapable of lying effectively.
Reveals Henry's awareness of his own ineptitude at deception.
“The man’s eyes looking at him, the man’s brow bent against him, would extract from him instantly the one truth which it was his purpose to hold within his own keeping.”
He feared that Mr. Apjohn's stern gaze would force him to confess the truth he wanted to hide.
Emphasizes Henry's terror of the lawyer's scrutiny.
“Anyone might insult him, anyone might beat him, and he could seek for no redress because he would not dare to submit himself to the ordeal of a witness-box.”
Anyone could insult or assault him, and he could not seek justice because he was too afraid to testify in court.
Explains Henry's vulnerability due to his fear of legal exposure.
