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Charles Macauley
Camilla Macauley is the twin sister of Charles Macauley, as well as one of Julian’s students. Richard is infatuated with her beauty, although the two of them never end up in a relationship. Like the other Greek students, Camilla plays a role in Bunny’s death. However, unlike the other members of the group, she handles herself quite well in the aftermath. Unfortunately for her, Charles begins to lose control of his drinking and his temper, which leads to him physically abusing her. As a result, Camilla moves out of their shared apartment and into a room at an inn, which Henry pays for. Around the same time, Richard discovers that Camilla and Charles were in an incestuous relationship. Now Charles is jealous because he thinks that Henry and Camilla are sleeping together. At the end of the novel, Camilla and Richard meet up one last time after Francis’s suicide attempt. During their meeting, Richard asks Camilla to marry him, but she declines, citing her enduring love for Henry as the reason.
Camilla Macauley Quotes in The Secret History
The The Secret History quotes below are all either spoken by Camilla Macauley or refer to Camilla Macauley . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 2 Quotes
It was like a painting too vivid to be real—every pebble, every blade of grass sharply defined, the sky so blue it hurt me to look at it. Camilla was limp in Henry’s arms, her head thrown back like a dead girl’s, and the curve of her throat beautiful and lifeless.
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This quote is from the scene in which Camilla cuts her foot before being saved by Henry. While everyone else is shocked by the sight of blood, Henry sweeps Camilla up into his arms. Upon witnessing this sight, Richard experiences a confluence of real life and art that he finds hard to describe. His description is reminiscent of Julian’s claim that beauty and terror are two sides of the same coin. Though Richard finds beauty in the image, it is also painful to look at and Camilla’s head looks like “a dead girl’s.” Additionally, this is a moment in the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo m
Chapter 4 Quotes
And the horrible thing was, somehow, that I did know. “You killed somebody,” I said, “didn’t you?”
“Good for you,” he said. “You’re just as smart as I thought you were. I knew you’d figure it out, sooner or later, that’s what I’ve told the others all along.”
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After a significant build up, the novel’s big reveal finally arrives in the form of Henry confirming to Richard that he, along with Francis, Charles, and Camilla, killed someone. In this climactic moment, Richard’s answer and Henry’s response reveal a lot about their respective characters. In Richard’s case, it is telling that he knew the answer to his question before he asked it. This comes as a shock to the reader because previously Richard never mentions murder when reciting his story, except in the prologue. As such, it is unclear how long Richard has suspected his friends of murder. Meanwhile, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur e
Chapter 8 Quotes
Do you know how hard that was? Do you think Henry would lower himself to do something like that? No. It was all right, of course, for me to do it but he couldn’t be bothered. Those people had never seen anything like Henry in their lives. I’ll tell you the sort of thing he worried about. Like if he was carrying around the right book, if Homer would make a better impression than Thomas Aquinas.
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Charles says this to Richard after Richard gets him out of jail. Charles is angry with Henry and starts to turn on him by questioning his leadership. Importantly, Charles’s anger at Henry is dually motivated. Though he does think that Henry’s leadership has failed the group, he is also angry at Henry for becoming romantically involved with his sister. Even though it comes from a place of anger, Charles’s critique of Henry rings true. Like Julian, Henry does care at least as much about appearances as anything else. Whenever there is something he would rather not do, he delegates that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim
“I can’t marry you [. . .] because I love Henry.”
“Henry’s dead.”
“I can’t help it. I still love him.”
I loved him, too,” I said.
For a moment, I thought I felt her waver. But then she looked away.
“I know you did,” she said. “But it’s not enough.”
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This is the final conversation between Richard and Camilla in the novel, and it occurs after both of them fly to Boston to see Francis after his failed suicide attempt. At this point in his life, Richard is desperate for anyone and anything he can cling to. He’s lost Sophie and he has no one else in his life. His proposal to Camilla comes from a place of desperation more than one of love, and Camilla is smart to turn it down. Not only does she still love Henry, but she also realizes that marrying Richard will not solve anything Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam offic
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Camilla Macauley Character Timeline in The Secret History
The timeline below shows where the character Camilla Macauley appears in The Secret History. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...his upbringing unsatisfactory compared to those of his friends. He is jealous of Charles and Camilla (who are orphaned twins), Francis (whose birth was the result of a fling between a...
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...him as he walks around with his five students. All of Julian’s students—Bunny, Henry, Charles, Camilla, and Francis—stand out to Richard compared to the other people his age that he meets...
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During his second week, Richard overhears a conversation between Bunny, Charles, and Camilla while in the library. They are having an esoteric argument about translating Greek, and Richard...
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...literature are brutal, they are also the most beautiful. To make his point, he asks Camilla to recite the speech Klytemnestra gives after killing Agamemnon, which she then does.
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As Camilla recites the speech, light streams in from the window and onto her face, causing Richard...
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Chapter 2
...Judy tells Richard a story about a time when she was at a party and Camilla bumped into her. This incident led to a drunken fight in which Henry broke the...
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...and is “a real girl.” He says that he prefers his girlfriend to someone like Camilla, who “lacks a mother’s firm hand.” Abruptly, Bunny stops talking, as though he is disturbed...
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The next day, Charles and Camilla invite Richard to take a walk with them. He agrees and they start to walk...
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Near the end of their walk, Charles and Camilla invite Richard over for dinner. At first, he declines, but he ultimately accepts after they...
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Charles and Camilla tell Richard that Hampden is the “last place on earth for the worst people in...
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...he’s a “genius.” Richard starts to argue with the girl but doesn’t get far before Camilla shows up and pulls him away. She tells Richard that she and Francis are going...
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Francis, Camilla, and Richard ride in a Mustang convertible until they reach the country house. The house...
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On Saturday, Henry and Camilla take Richard out in a rowboat on the nearby lake. As Henry rows, he talks...
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...they walk to the lake, and everyone comes except Bunny. At the lake, Richard and Camilla wade in the water together and Richard thinks about how beautiful she is. Suddenly, Camilla...
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While everyone else appears stunned, Henry comes to Camilla’s rescue and takes charge. He orders Francis to get the first aid kit and tells...
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Chapter 3
...are the last to leave, and Richard sees them off on a cold, snowy morning. Camilla gives Richard a big hug before departing and Richard recalls, “I had never seen anyone...
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Throughout the winter, Richard receives mail from his friends. Charles and Camilla send him cookies from their grandmother and Bunny sends a postcard from Rome. Charles and...
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Chapter 5
...without being seen. They were still partially out of their minds, and he says that Camilla couldn’t even speak for a few days.
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...trip to France for the coming summer and invites Richard to come along. Charles and Camilla are also present and when Charles gets the chance, he takes Richard aside and tells...
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Before long, Bunny and Camilla also arrive for class, and Bunny makes a misogynistic comment about Camilla that everyone is...
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...for how much he drinks, Francis for his homosexuality, Richard for his relative poverty, and Camilla for being female. Additionally, in one particularly nasty moment, he accuses Charles and Camilla of...
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...the rest of my life.” Soon after this conversation, Richard has a brief conversation with Camilla, who wonders aloud whether it would have been better if they had all just gone...
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...Richard arrives at the twins’ place, Charles hasn’t managed to get ahold of Henry. However, Camilla contacts him by using a code: “ring twice, hang up, ring again.” Charles is annoyed...
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...goes to Henry’s place, where he finds Henry, Charles, and Francis. They tell him that Camilla is at a party with Cloke, Bunny, and Marion. Although Camilla goes to the party...
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...good luck and then quickly takes his leave. On his way home, Richard runs into Camilla, who is drunk and seemingly in a good mood. Richard tells her to come home...
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Chapter 6
...is a lie. That night, Francis and Henry show up in Richard’s room asking after Camilla. They think Marion and Cloke may have informed the local security about Bunny’s disappearance, and...
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Henry, Francis, and Richard arrive at the twins’ place to find Charles, Camilla, and Cloke. Cloke tells everyone that he’s worried because he hasn’t seen Bunny in the...
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That night, Richard is wracked with nerves and is unable to sleep. He calls Camilla to make himself feel better and asks her to tell him a story. Camilla tells...
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...the police, and people from the local area have flooded campus because of Bunny’s disappearance. Camilla tells Richard that the Corcoran family put up a large monetary reward for anyone who...
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Richard spends Monday night alone with Camilla, whom he asks, “What really happened, that night in the woods.” Camilla says that she...
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The next day, Bunny’s body is found. Richard and Camilla jump up when they notice an ambulance parked below their window. It turns out Bunny...
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As the FBI agents walk away with Camilla, they try to change the subject and make her feel better. Meanwhile, Richard starts to...
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Chapter 7
Together, Richard and Camilla raid one of the Corcoran’s bathrooms in search of medicine for Henry. While they look,...
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...shouldn’t be taking the pills with alcohol in the first place. Next, Richard runs into Camilla. He tells her to be careful while talking on the phone when around other people...
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...for the funeral. Because Henry is a pallbearer, he must leave early. This leaves Richard, Camilla, and Sophie alone with an irritated Mrs. Corcoran, who is annoyed because no one else...
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Chapter 8
...able to leave until four in the afternoon. On the way back, he notices that Camilla and Charles are angry with one another, though he doesn’t know why. When Richard returns...
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...Shortly after he witness this interaction, Richard visits Francis and asks him if Charles and Camilla have an incestuous relationship. Francis laughs and tells Richard that they do and that everyone...
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...few days after his conversation with Francis, Richard runs into Cloke, who asks Richard about Camilla’s new place. Richard doesn’t know what Cloke is talking about. Cloke reveals that he saw...
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When they are alone, Francis tells Richard the important news: Camilla has indeed moved out of her place with Charles. She is living in an expensive...
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...Charles. When they arrive, Charles is in a bad mood. Francis mentions that he’s seen Camilla and Charles tells him, “I hope you told her I said go to hell.” On...
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Richard returns to his room, where he finds Camilla. At first, he treats her coldly, but then Camilla starts to explain the situation. She...
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...if they don’t find him soon, the police will. Eventually, they end up back at Camilla’s hotel room at the Albemarle, where they find Camilla and Henry. They begin strategizing a...
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Henry, Francis, Camilla, and Richard try to calm Charles down, but they fail. They do manage to get...
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Epilogue
The next day, Camilla arrives, and the three friends share a brief reunion. Camilla tells Francis and Richard that...
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