Victorians! discussion

Finally, the will is found (‘revealed’) but not before Cousin Henry engaged in another bout of self-sabotage, this time not only in his mind, leaving one wondering how things will turn out for him (not terrible I guess since most of us would have read the next chapter’s title, if not the chapter itself).

After Apjohn works out, more or less, what had occurred with the will, though he can’t be entirely sure, he comes up with a plan to find the will, now knowing where it’s likely hidden. Mr Brodrick is summoned but delays his arrival while Mr Apjohn’s apprehensions as to the thoughts his suspicions and Henry’s knowledge of them would set off in the latter’s mind are proved correct. Henry is now once again wavering, jumping from one thought to another—his ideas of what would be just to him and gathering the courage to actually dispose of the will (though anyone would realise it would fail him when it came to doing the deed), to coveting the property and imagining his riches, to once again reviving his fears, whether of damnation or an actual prison sentence, both of which terrify him.

Yet while Apjohn and Ricketts realise that Henry might even have wanted the will to be found (which he did) by the time Apjohn and Mr Brodrick arrive at Llanfeare, Henry has come very close to committing the dastardly deed even when we do know he will be unable. But worse for him, instead of taking the easy (and safe) way out by permitting the search and ridding himself of his burdens, he creates obstacles and shows some temper, even has some crazy thoughts of making away with and ‘eating’ the will while the searchers are on the premises when he didn’t have the courage or lack of conscience to do so when alone.

Nonetheless, some minor drama later, the will is now found, and we can somewhat gauge how things will pan out in those last few pages.

I was glad to see though that Owen was clear that he wanted nothing to do with the mistress of Llanfeare. He’ll likely change his mind no doubt, but at least Isabel can’t use him as an excuse for coveting the property as she’s been doing.

What did you think of this week’s chapters? I can say that I am glad things are coming to a close and we won’t have any more prolonging of this rather one-track drama.

Lady Clementina wrote: "by the time Apjohn and Mr Brodrick arrive at Llanfeare, Henry has come very close to committing the dastardly deed ..."

Apjohn was running a terrible risk. It would have taken one drunken impulse for Henry to have followed through on destroying the will, even though he would have regretted it heartily once done. Then reconciled himself, of course.

Apjohn screwed up from first to last and he (and Isabel, and Evans!) were very lucky that circumstances took him out of his errors even at some cost to his pocket. And I’m sure that was made good in some manner, over time if not immediately.

In the end, Henry’s psychology and vacillations were not very compelling and it’s a relief to have the book drawing to its highly predictable end.

Finally finding the will was not the relief it should have been, except where it meant that the book is coming to its end.

Again I found the behaviour of Apjohn highly objectionable, coming uninvited to Henry's house (and it is legally his!), searching the library despite Henry refusing this and then actually physically restraining him. This raises the question if the end justifies the means.

If I may say so, apart from Uncle Indefer's mistakes, it were Apjohn's men that failed to find the will when they were legally allowed to search the house. It was their sloppy work of not actually opening, shaking or leafing through the books.

I was even wondering, if this will would be allowed as evidence in a modern court, considering that it was obtained without a warrant and by force. Apjohn is not just any private person, but an attorney preparing a case.

I haven't read the title of the next chapter yet, but with just one more section to go, I feel relieved that we are spared a lengthy trial and more repetitions of how Henry's behaviour made im suspicious and so on and so on. Trollope must obviously have been paid by page for this one.

This scene totally changed my opinion of the book to the better. I loved it. It has been said that it would be better to have read the book continuously until the end rather than linger in medias res, and I agree.

I read the book much more quickly for that very reason, Melanie. The last few chapters were painful to read.

Rosemarie, I'm sure that many haven't finished the book yet like we have, but I'll be interested to discover which parts were painful for you.

I’m surprised Apjohn didn’t arrive at Llanfeare wearing his underpants over his trousers.

Not only was he a shrewd mind reader and a facial expressions expert but also a ruthless tough guy. Oh! and he liked to have an audience.



That’s why he had Isabel’s dad along for the ride. Brodrick’s ‘Robin’ was a perfect fawning foil to Apjohn’s ‘Batman.’ I could almost see the ‘Pow,’ ‘Whack,’ ‘Slap’ signs floating around the bookcase as Henry was restrained and the book of sermons apprehended.

I suppose the nightmare is now over for Henry, except that maybe Isabel finally has a real reason to hate him. However, knowing the perversity of her reasoning, who knows how the news of Henry’s deceit will affect her.

Trev wrote: "I’m surprised Apjohn didn’t arrive at Llanfeare wearing his underpants over his trousers.

Not only was he a shrewd mind reader and a facial expressions expert but also a ruthless tough guy. Oh! a..."

🤣🤣🤣 Your post made me laugh out loud, Trev! My thoughts exactly. Apjohn's sudden abilities to read and understand Henry were flabbergasting.

Rosemarie wrote "I read the book much more quickly for that very reason, Melanie. The last few chapters were painful to read."

Doesn't seem to have improved the book, though 🤭

Does it mean that it gets still worse in the last three chapters?? Oh my...

Well, I’m glad it’s found. But mostly because it means that this nook will soon be over. I expect the last few chapters are going to anger me even more then I am already angered.

It’s going to be a long and annoying three chapters where bully Apjohn is made into a hero and martyr Isabel lives happily ever after with no consequences for her horrendous behavior. In which case, I doubt I will ever read another book by this author. I have read only one before this one, and it was very mid and also unjust.

I really dislike people like these two. As much as I dislike Henry, in fact.

Beda, this is the worst book by Trollope that I have ever read! Please don't judge him by this mess.
My favourites are Dr. Thorne and Framley Parsonage.
My main reason for disliking Cousin Henry is the way everyone treated him. It wasn't his fault that Indefer was such a ditherer.

Beda, I agree with Rosemarie - please don't judge him by this book! My favorites are Ayala's Angel and Barchester Towers. He is such a joy to read, and I'm so glad I didn't give up on him when my first book was The Eustace Diamonds.

Beda, please don't give up on Trollope before reading the Barsetshire series. He is a wonderful, talented writer and I love that series. In fact, I intend to read The Small House at Allington right after Cousin Henry in order to swipe the latter off my memory.

Barchester Towers isn't too long and definitely worth a read.

Beds, I absolutely agree with everyone who is urging you to continue reading Trollope. The Barsetshire series is excellent, and I also liked The Way We Live Now.

Adding to the previous comments, I agree, the worst Trollope for me too; I've read most of the Barsets (except the last), some Pallisers and a few standalones and none have disappointed so definitely don't judge by this one. It was supposed to be experimental so perhaps an experiment gone wrong.

Trev wrote: "I’m surprised Apjohn didn’t arrive at Llanfeare wearing his underpants over his trousers.

Not only was he a shrewd mind reader and a facial expressions expert but also a ruthless tough guy. Oh! a..."

Loved your Batman/Robin parallel here Trev; made the idea of the story far more entertaining!
Though in Apjohn's defence, he had realised even earlier that Henry wasn't capable of destroying the will; so the mindreading wasn't entirely without basis :D

Here is my analysis regarding the plot in this story:

Cousin Isabel gets an offer of marriage.

Cousin Isabel procrastinates about getting married.

Cousin Isabel gets married.

Cousin Henry gets summoned to Wales from London.

Cousin Henry procrastinates about honesty.

Cousin Henry returns from Wales to London.

That’s it!

Neil wrote: "Here is my analysis regarding the plot in this story:

Cousin Isabel gets an offer of marriage.

Cousin Isabel procrastinates about getting married.

Cousin Isabel gets married.

Cousin Henry gets ..."
Sadly so true; I wonder what got into Trollope or was he genuinely trying some kind of experiment with this--may be a deeper look in the psyche of a cowardly man?

Lady Clementina wrote: "Neil wrote: "Here is my analysis regarding the plot in this story:

I think you might be right about writing about the psyche of a cowardly man, it needed Virginia Woolf’s stream of consciousness applied to the two protagonists to work better (in my humble opinion Virginia can make a snail crossing the road sound interesting!)

You can't blame someone for writing for a paycheck, but Trollope's reputation suffers as a result.

This was my 28th novel by Trollope and I'm finding going on to be daunting. I feel as if I've had the best of him and that increasingly the remaining novels are going to fall into the mediocre to poor range.

I did find the fight scene satisfying. Cousin Henry gets physically restrained, and books get thrown across the room.

Mr Apjohn fixed the man's eye for a moment. He was the smaller man of the two, and much the elder; but he was wiry, well set, and strong. The other was soft, and unused to much bodily exercise. There could be no doubt as to which would have the best of it in a personal struggle. Very quickly he turned round and got his hand on one of the set, but not on the right one. Cousin Henry dashed at him, and in the struggle the book fell to the ground. Then the attorney seized him by the throat, and dragged him forcibly back to the table. "Take them all out one by one, and shake them," he said to the other attorney,—"that set like the one on the floor. I'll hold him while you do it."

Illustration by Francis Mosley

Ginny wrote: "I did find the fight scene satisfying. Cousin Henry gets physically restrained, and books get thrown across the room. Mr Apjohn fixed the man's eye for a moment. He was the smaller man of the two, ..."

Ginny - I totally agree with you, the author certainly redeemed himself in that scene - Thanks for reminding me by posting the illustration, it makes all the difference.

Neil wrote: "Ginny wrote: "I did find the fight scene satisfying. Cousin Henry gets physically restrained, and books get thrown across the room. Mr Apjohn fixed the man's eye for a moment. He was the smaller ma..."

I thought Batman and Robin did it better. Apjohn was a pale imitation although his evil face might have scared me a little.
Great illustration, just missing an ‘Urrggghhh’ a ‘Crashhhhh’ and couple of ‘Arrgghhhs.’

Trev wrote: "Neil wrote: "Ginny wrote: "I did find the fight scene satisfying. Cousin Henry gets physically restrained, and books get thrown across the room. Mr Apjohn fixed the man's eye for a moment. He was t..."

I love the Batman and Robin paradox , but sometimes I think that they could also be Holmes and Watson!

Ginny wrote: "I did find the fight scene satisfying. Cousin Henry gets physically restrained, and books get thrown across the room. Mr Apjohn fixed the man's eye for a moment. He was the smaller man of the two, ..."

I did too!