Robin answers “What Francis meant in his conversation...”

Yakov Pyatnitskov asked this question about The Secret History:

What Francis meant in his conversation with Richard towards the end of the novel when he said about Camilla and what Bunny had told about her: "...say that she wasn't his type but I think the old Dutchman in him just knew she was bad medicine." What did he mean by "bad medicine"?

Robin I was a little confused by that turn of phrase at first, too. I think what Francis is trying to say is that although Bunny was definitely not the brig…moreI was a little confused by that turn of phrase at first, too. I think what Francis is trying to say is that although Bunny was definitely not the brightest, he was able to intuitively understand that pursuing Camilla romantically/sexually was a very bad idea (AKA "bad medicine"). Though he did joke once (and likely many more times, if we know anything about Bunny's inability to let something go!) about Charles and Camilla's incestuous relationship, Francis seems convinced that he didn't know the real truth that Charles and Camilla were intimate with one another. So Francis's comment implies that though Bunny offered "she's not my type" as an excuse for why he didn't pursue her, Bunny was actually picking up on the very real threat Charles's possessiveness posed to him if he had actually tried to start something up with her.(less)

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The Secret History

by Donna Tartt

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