But there would be cowardice in this as mean as that other cowardice.

He believed himself to be bound by his duty to his family.
Were he now to renew his promise of marriage, such renewal would be caused by fear and not by duty, and would be mean.

They should tear him piecemeal rather than get from him such a promise.

Then he thought of the Captain, and perceived that he must make all possible use of the Captain's character.

Would anybody conceive that he, the heir of the Scroope family, was bound to marry the daughter of a convict returned from the galleys?
And was it not true that such promise as he had made had been obtained under false pretences?
Why had he not been told of the Captain's position when he first made himself intimate with the mother and daughter?
Instead of going as was his custom to Lahinch, and then rowing across the bay and round the point, he drove his gig to the village of Liscannor.