Section XXIII:

In the fall, the judge, John Twelve, and two other men confront Trescott. They want Henry sent away where he will not disrupt the town any further. They are concerned that Trescott is going to be ruined with no business and offer a farm up for Henry. 

The judge and Twelve seem as if they are not too frightened by Henry, but that they know the townspeople are. They try to appeal to Trescott’s reasonable, humane side by offering reasonable alternatives for Henry.  Trescott refuses claiming, “Nobody can attend to him as I do myself.”  Trescott may be telling the truth, but deeper than that, Trescott wants the town to accept Henry as a person. Sending him away refused Henry that honor. Trescott feels that by keeping Henry around, sooner or later the town will have to accept him and realize that he is a harmless human.

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