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Camilla Macauley
Francis Abernathy is one of Julian’s students and Richard’s friends. Francis is gay and, like Henry, comes from a wealthy background, though he does not like to talk about it much. During Richard’s first semester at Hampden, the Greek students spend much of their time at Francis’s country house. Like the other Greek students, Francis plays a role in Bunny’s death. After the murder, Francis’s reactions are similar to Richard’s; he copes with sex and drugs, but largely manages to keep himself together. In the second half of the novel, Francis proves to be a repository of information about the other Greek students. He tells Richard that Charles and Camilla are in an incestuous relationship and that he himself has slept with Charles on numerous occasions. In the years following Henry’s death, Francis’s grandfather discovers that he’s gay and threatens to withhold his inheritance unless Francis marries a woman. In light of this, Francis attempts suicide but ultimately survives, resigning himself to the prospect of entering a loveless marriage.
Francis Abernathy Quotes in The Secret History
The The Secret History quotes below are all either spoken by Francis Abernathy or refer to Francis Abernathy . 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
Out on the lawn, Bunny had just knocked Henry’s ball about seventy feet outside the court. There was a ragged burst of laughter; faint, but clear, it floated back across the evening air. That laughter haunts me still.
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This passage describes one of Richard’s memories from his time at Francis’s country house. Outdoors, Bunny and Henry are playing croquet, while Richard sits inside watching them. The laughter that he hears emanates from Bunny, who is elated with himself for blasting Henry’s ball outside the court. Though it is a happy moment for Bunny, it is unclear whether the same can be said for Henry. Henry and Bunny’s relationship is difficult to pin down. On the one hand, Charles and Camilla insist that they are best friends. On the other hand, there is little evidence to demonstrate this fact 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.
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 7 Quotes
His gaze—helpless, wild—hit me like a blackjack. Suddenly, and for the first time, really, I was struck by the bitter, irrevocable truth of it; the evil of what we had done. It was like running full speed into a brick wall. I let go of his collar, feeling completely helpless. I wanted to die. “Oh, God,” I mumbled, “God help me, I’m sorry—”
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This scene takes place when Richard, Francis, and Sophie arrive at the Corcoran house the day before Bunny’s funeral. After witnessing Mr. Corcoran break down over the death of his son, Richard has a mental collapse of his own. For a single moment, Richard’s guilt gets the best of him, and he seems as though he is on the verge of admitting the truth to Mr. Corcoran. The only thing that stops him is a sharp kick from Francis, which is why he stops talking after “I’m sorry.” Guilt remains a prominent theme in the second half of the novel, 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 dolo
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Francis Abernathy Character Timeline in The Secret History
The timeline below shows where the character Francis Abernathy appears in The Secret History. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...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 17-year-old girl and a rockstar),...
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...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 at Hampden....
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...first class with Julian, which is held in Julian’s office. On the way, he spots Francis and tries to avoid him. However, Francis waits for him and asks him if he...
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Chapter 2
...this point, Richard realizes the extent of Bunny’s homophobia. He asks what Bunny thinks about Francis, suggesting he might be gay. Bunny dismisses the notion and moves the conversation back to...
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...far before Camilla shows up and pulls him away. She tells Richard that she and Francis are going to Francis’s place in the countryside and extends him an invitation. Richard accepts...
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Francis, Camilla, and Richard ride in a Mustang convertible until they reach the country house. The...
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...a separate incident, finds a boiling pot of revolting “blackish water” on the stove, which Francis claims is for his bath.
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One day, late into the Fall semester, Richard goes outside and finds Francis and Bunny drinking prairie oysters to cure their hangovers. After a brief conversation about the...
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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 Richard to make a tourniquet while he...
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...to stay in the countryside home forever. Charles tells Richard that it might be possible; Francis will likely inherit the home and if he doesn’t, then Henry could buy it. Charles...
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Chapter 3
...“a gabby, childless couple.” Meanwhile, Henry and Bunny are planning a trip to Italy, and Francis and the twins intend to travel within the U.S. to see their respective families. Francis...
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...Bunny. They decide to open the door for their guest, who turns out to be Francis.
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Francis enters and then goes into the back of the apartment to talk to Henry. Richard...
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Chapter 4
...he goes to Bunny’s room only to find that he’s gone, and then he calls Francis. Francis answers the phone but uses a fake voice. This annoys Richard so he hangs...
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...with the Greek students and whether Bunny knows about it. The next day, Richard calls Francis’s mother in Boston to try to figure out the truth. Francis’s mother is alarmed when...
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...the previous day. Before Richard can get more answers, Henry suggests that they go to Francis’s apartment.
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When they arrive at Francis’s place, Francis is not home. Henry tells Richard that he is out at a movie...
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...not be worried about being caught if not for Bunny. Before he can explain further, Francis returns home.
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Chapter 5
Francis walks in the door and is immediately concerned when he realizes that Henry has told...
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...result in jail time for Bunny himself, but even so, Bunny cannot keep quiet. Though Francis and Henry don’t think that he will go to the authorities, they worry that he...
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Francis tells Richard that he and Bunny were at a movie together the night of the...
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...when he returned from Italy—even the twins, who are relatively poor compared to Henry and Francis. Although Henry and Francis are wealthy, even they have their limits, and soon they will...
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Richard spends the night in Francis’s apartment. The next morning when he wakes up, he wonders how well he actually knows...
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...ride. He accepts, and together they go to the Commons, where they meet Henry and Francis. Notably, everyone is happy to spend some time away from Bunny. As they drive, Henry...
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...Instead, he is concerned with Bunny’s increasingly erratic behavior. One evening, while everyone is at Francis’s country house, Richard overhears a loud argument between Henry and Bunny. Among other things, Richard...
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...and attack individual members of the group. He attacks Charles for how much he drinks, Francis for his homosexuality, Richard for his relative poverty, and Camilla for being female. Additionally, in...
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As the weeks continue to pass, the Bunny situation gets more and more precarious. Even Francis and Henry are running out of money. One day, Julian invites Richard to a one-on-one...
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In the evening, Richard 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...
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Francis is much less sure of Henry’s plan. He thinks there are too many variables and...
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Chapter 6
...Henry quickly manages to maneuver out of it. Together, the Greek students drive back to Francis’s place, where they come up with a plausible alibi for Richard. Meanwhile, it begins to...
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...Easter. Richard arrives home and tries to read but can’t focus on anything. He calls Francis and Henry, hoping they can spend time together. Henry tells him that would be unwise....
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...in the same dorm as Bunny. Still upset and not thinking clearly, Richard heads to Francis’s apartment.
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Francis is alarmed by Richard’s presence but ultimately lets him in and makes him some tea....
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Francis answers the door and finds Charles standing outside. Charles is clearly upset and drunk, but...
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...happened to Bunny. Richard worries that Julian knows that this is a lie. That night, Francis and Henry show up in Richard’s room asking after Camilla. They think Marion and Cloke...
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Henry, Francis, and Richard arrive at the twins’ place to find Charles, Camilla, and Cloke. Cloke tells...
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...managed to slip away after answering all the police’s questions. He now warns Henry and Francis that the police have their names because they were identified as Bunny’s friends. Henry isn’t...
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...door. On the way home, Henry drops off the twins and then he, Richard and Francis go to join Bunny’s search party. After searching for some time, people slowly begin to...
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Henry drives everyone back to Francis’s place, where they reunite with the twins to watch the local news. On the news,...
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...others leave, Richard watches TV until he is drunk and tired enough to fall asleep. Francis wakes Richard up at six in the morning and tells him that he’s spent the...
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Shortly after their conversation about the Corcorans, Henry calls and tells Richard and Francis to come join the search party. Francis is exhausted and doesn’t want to go but...
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...son’s disappearance is rather performative. The Greek students are largely critical of her reaction, though Francis defends her. Charles says that he only does so because Mrs. Corcoran “kisses up to...
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Chapter 7
...to sleep with him, though Richard declines her advances. In addition, Richard does briefly see Francis, who tells him that Bunny’s parents have ordered an autopsy. This fact, along with Richard’s...
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...he is having a hard time dealing with the Corcorans on his own. Together with Francis and a girl named Sophie Dearbold, a casual acquaintance of Bunny’s, Richard travels to Connecticut...
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Mr. Corcoran answers the door and greets Francis warmly. Next, Sophie introduces herself, though Mr. Corcoran clearly has no idea who she is....
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After the dispute over the flowers, Mrs. Corcoran turns to her guests and asks Francis how his mother is doing and says, “I was so sorry when I heard she’d...
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Mrs. Corcoran tells Henry to show Francis, Richard, and Sophie where they are staying. Before Henry can do so, Mr. Corcoran has...
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Henry points Francis and Richard to the basement where they will be staying. The basement is dank, and...
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...some for Henry and heads back downstairs. Before he can find Henry, he runs into Francis who is concerned because Charles left in Francis’s convertible in the rain with the top...
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Shortly after his conversation with Francis, Richard finds Henry and gives him the pills. He tells Henry to be cautious because...
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...Mrs. Corcoran, who is annoyed because no one else is ready. Richard assures her that Francis is coming, however, he isn’t finished dressing. Though this is the truth, Richard fails to...
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Chapter 8
One night, not long after Bunny’s funeral, Richard is awoken by a late-night call from Francis, who thinks he’s having a heart attack. Richard doesn’t believe him, but he decides to...
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...off guard, though he doesn’t say anything. Shortly after he witness this interaction, Richard visits Francis and asks him if Charles and Camilla have an incestuous relationship. Francis laughs and tells...
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A few days after his conversation with Francis, Richard runs into Cloke, who asks Richard about Camilla’s new place. Richard doesn’t know what...
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...gesture, and wonders whether he and Sophie slept together. In the middle of their conversation, Francis shows up and says to Richard in Greek, “Important news, my friend.”
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When they are alone, Francis tells Richard the important news: Camilla has indeed moved out of her place with Charles....
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...and get him some of his things, including a bottle of scotch. After consulting with Francis and Henry, Richard does as Charles asks. Francis comes with Richard to the hospital to...
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The same day, Francis and Richard go to see Julian, hoping he will lift their spirits. When they find...
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Francis and Richard try and fail to lure Julian away from the letter. Upon leaving, they...
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The next day, Charles is released from the hospital, so Richard and Francis take him to lunch. However, Charles refuses to eat anything and only orders alcohol. The...
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Hoping to mollify Charles, Francis and Richard convince him to ride with them out to the country house. Charles worries...
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Francis and Richard look everywhere for Charles but fail to find him. They realize that if...
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Henry, Francis, Camilla, and Richard try to calm Charles down, but they fail. They do manage to...
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Epilogue
While writing his dissertation, Richard gets a letter from Francis that is essentially a suicide note. Richard travels to Boston, where he finds Francis in...
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The next day, Camilla arrives, and the three friends share a brief reunion. Camilla tells Francis and Richard that she is no longer on speaking terms with Charles and does not...
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