Middlemarch

Dorothea thinks about Will's indignant reaction to Chettam's rudeness. She believes that he knows about the "gross and cruel" (779) provision in Casaubon's will. She takes down the portrait of Julia as it reminds her too much of Will. She still pities the "unjust" (779) treatment that her dead husband's family inflicted on Julia. Dorothea visits her sister. Celia has recently given birth to her first child, Arthur. Dorothea tells her sister that she plans to "never marry again" (783), though she accepts Celia's suggestion that she stop wearing her mourning clothes.

Dorothea returns to her first passion: redesigning the "great many good cottages" (786) around Middlemarch to improve living conditions for the poor. She discusses her plans for Tipton Grange and Freshitt with Mr. Garth, to whom she awards the management of some of her inherited estate. The rail company wants to lay a track through some of her lands and she leaves the negotiations for this up to Mr. Garth. The local people have a "strong muscular suspicion" (789) and do not want the railroad to run through their farmlands. They protest the construction and they attack rail workers, led by Featherstone's brother, Solomon.

Mr. Garth and his assistant become embroiled in the battle between locals and railway workers, which only ends when Fred happens to be passing by on horseback. He charges into the fray and scatters the fighters. In the aftermath, Mr. Garth asks Fred to be his assistant. Fred asks Mr. Garth to teach him about the surveying business; Mr. Garth only agrees on the condition that Fred never considers the work to be beneath him. Fred agrees to never be "ashamed" (800) of the work. In the course of their discussion, he mentions his love for Mary and how he hopes that finding a "profession" (801) will allow him to marry her.

Mr. Garth returns home and tells his wife what has happened. She is "vexed and disappointed" (804), as she would much rather Mary marry Farebrother. Similarly, Mr. and Mrs. Vincy are unhappy that their son has “thrown away [his] education” (809) and taken a job beneath his social standing. However, they accept his decision, though Mr. Vincy refuses to provide Fred with further financial support.

On his way to see Mary, Fred visits Mrs. Garth, "wishing to assure himself that she accepted their new relations willingly" (813). Instead, she lectures him about his behavior with "strong language" (817). She criticizes him for sending Farebrother to "speak for [him]" (818), as Farebrother is also in love with Mary. This news of a rival for Mary's affections has a "strong effect" (820) on Fred. He visits Mary, who assures him that she "really [likes him] best" (825).

Content Warning: The following section contains content involving a miscarriage.

Rosamond is pregnant. She is visited by Captain Lydgate, her husband's "ignorant" (828) and simple-minded cousin. She is strongly attracted to him. Even though her husband has forbidden her from horse-riding, she cannot refuse Captain Lydgate's invitation to join her on a ride "without telling her husband" (831). She loses the baby. The "loss of her baby" (834) makes Lydgate realize that he has no control over his impulsive, impetuous wife.

Furthermore, their marriage has driven him deep into "debt" (837). In just 18 months, they have spent a fortune setting up their "extravagant household" (838). Lydgate is not a wealthy man, even though he is from a wealthy family. He is not used to worrying about money. When he tells Rosamond that they are "short of money" (846), she absolves herself of any responsibility. Lydgate warns that the situation is so bad that their furniture may be repossessed. He asks her to make an "inventory" (848) of items that they can live without. Rosamond suggests that they either borrow money from her father or "leave Middlemarch" (849). Rather than making a list or planning for the creditors' visit, she plans to simply not be at home when the creditors call. Only when her husband pleads for unity does she agree to cooperate. Lydgate feels the "dread" (853) surrounding the inevitable conversation about cutting back on their spending.

More and more people learn the "news" (854) about Casaubon's final provision that Dorothea never marry Will. The secret jumps from Fred to Lydgate to Rosamond and then, finally, to Will when Rosamond makes a joke about "the most charming romance" (856). Will is shocked and quickly leaves her home. Once Will leaves, Rosamond is "oppressed by ennui" (858). She thinks about the way her husband's family have been treating her in recent weeks. She also thinks about her father denying her request for a loan, even though Lydgate explicitly asked her not to speak to him about the matter.

An estate auction brings a big crowd of people to Middlemarch. Even though The Pioneer is being sold, Will is still in town, training his replacement. Mrs. Bulstrode asks Will a favor through her husband, hoping that he will bid on "a certain picture" (860) in the auction. Will does as he is asked and buys the painting. During the auction, however, he is spotted by Raffles. After some time away, Raffles has returned to Middlemarch and he is spending his time in the company of the disreputable horse trader, Bambridge. Raffles speaks to Will. He wants to confirm that Will's mother was Sarah Dunkirk. Sarah's mother was Bulstrode's first wife. Will does not want to speak to Raffles, but Raffles persists with his questions, insisting that he means "no offence" (871). He reveals to Will that Sarah "ran away" (872) from home after discovering that her father was engaged in pawnbroking, which she considered to be "respectable thieving" (872). Will ends the conversation.

Raffles visits Bulstrode's house, much to Mrs. Bulstrode's displeasure. According to her husband, Raffles is an "unfortunate dissolute wretch" (875). Raffles enjoys torturing Bulstrode "almost" (877) as much as he enjoys his ill-gotten gains. Once again, Bulstrode pays Raffles money to go away. Fearing "the judgment of his neighbors" (878), Bulstrode confesses the truth to his wife.

Bulstrode's parents died when he was young. He was raised as an orphan in a charity school. After finding work in a bank, he was a promising and religious young man. He "believed without effort" (879) that he had been chosen by God to succeed and a member of his church offered him a lucrative job as a pawnbroker. Bulstrode accepted, though he knew that some of the items brought into the store were likely stolen. When the elderly pawnbroker died, his wife asked Bulstrode to help track down the long-lost members of her family. Sarah Dunkirk, her daughter, had "run away" (882) many years before. Once Sarah was found, the widow said, she would marry him.

Bulstrode found the missing family members with Raffles's help, but he paid Raffles to stay silent about their existence. Even at the time, Bulstrode knew that he was acting immorally by keeping Sarah "hidden" (883) from the widow. He made a great deal of money in the pawnbroking business and, after the elderly widow died, he inherited her fortune as her husband. He spent much money on charity and philanthropy until he eventually moved to Middlemarch and began presenting himself as "a stronger instrument of the divine glory" (886).

Raffles accepts Bulstrode's latest payment. Before leaving Middlemarch, he informs Bulstrode that Will is the last living descendent of the widow. Bulstrode treats this information as a gift from God. He invites Will to a meeting of a "sacredly confidential nature" (887), whereupon he offers to pay him a large sum of money. Bulstrode considers this offer as a means to "make amends" (889) for the money that he gained by hiding the existence of the widow's relatives, including Sarah Dunkirk. Will asks questions. Bulstrode admits to being involved in the "thoroughly dishonorable" (891) pawnbroking business, which is the source of the money he is offering to Will. The illicit source of the money means that Will cannot accept it. He does not want the "stain" (892) upon his character, meaning that Dorothea might not approve and therefore might not marry him. Once he departs, Bulstrode weeps "like a woman" (893).

Will wants to see Dorothea before "quitting Middlemarch" (894). Chettam, still concerned about Will's influence on Dorothea's reputation, contrives to spread "gossip" (896) to Dorothea that Will has been seen flirting with Rosamond. Though Dorothea defends Will, she does have a "vague uneasiness" (899). She remembers visiting the Lydgate house and finding them alone together. Nevertheless, she refuses to believe that Will would ever act immorally.

Dorothea and Will meet one last time before he leaves town. In their discussion, she assures Will that her husband need not have ever included the explicit "safeguard" (903) in his will which prohibited their marriage. Will is privately upset by the suggestion. He admits that the one thing he wants more than anything in the world is the one thing which he explicitly cannot have. He does not mention the will, only his "pride and honor" (904-5). Dorothea assumes that he is referring to Rosamond, a married woman. Before he leaves, she asks Will to always "remember" (906) her. He assures Dorothea that he could never forget her. His words make her realize that he loves her. He leaves, just as their feelings for one another become clear. The next day, he is "gone" (909) from Middlemarch.