Middlemarch

Mired in "jealous conjecture and pathetic hopefulness" (471), Featherstone's relatives gather for the reading of the will. Among the friends and relatives is a "frog-faced" (472) stranger named Joshua Rigg. The lawyer, Mr. Standish, announces that Featherstone left two legal wills. Only the most recent will can be executed. In the earlier will, Featherstone evenly distributed his money among all his relatives, as well as a large sum to Fred and his land to Rigg. In the most recent will, however, the inheritance is entirely left to Rigg. The will also says that Rigg will take the Featherstone name. Mr. Standish assures his audience that the will is "quite regular" (480). Fred is shocked. Mary, watching from the side, worries that she played a "great difference" (484) in Fred's downfall.

Fred depended on Featherstone's inheritance to pay his debts; he feels "utterly depressed" (487). Without the money from his benefactor, his future looks bleak. His father expects Fred to finish his studies and become a priest. Similarly, Mr. Vincy is worried that he will no longer be able to pay a dowry for Rosamond's marriage to Lydgate as "times are as tight as can be" (489). Given that Lydgate is a "highly bred" (491) gentleman, however, Vincy does not feel that he has the social status to oppose the marriage. Even though Lydgate has very little money of his own, he is insistent that the marriage go ahead. He does not think about how much money he will need to set up a new home of his own "in the usual way" (495). Rosamond convinces her father not to worry, especially when the couple bring the wedding forward "six weeks" (500) to an earlier date. She suggests to Lydgate that they visit Sir Godwin, Will's "good-natured" (506) uncle and benefactor, during their honeymoon.

Will recognizes that Casaubon has a "dislike" (513) for him. When passing by her home, Will invents an excuse to visit Dorothea. He wants to "talk with Dorothea alone" (515). An outbreak of "confounded rain" (516) forces him to shelter inside. Casaubon is not home, so Will meets alone with Dorothea. They talk about Will's family, including his grandparents. His grandfather was "a Polish refugee who gave lessons for his bread" (520). His marriage to Julia caused her to be ostracized from the family. The couple's son was similarly treated when he married a woman with a mysterious past. Will grew up poor but, just before his father died, they contacted Casaubon. Ever since, Casaubon has taken financial care of Will and his (now deceased) mother. Will has accepted a job as the editor of a newspaper named The Pioneer. Dorothea knows the newspaper, as her Uncle Arthur purchased it with the aim of spreading information about Reform politics. Dorothea approves of Will's new job but she worries that her husband will be less pleased.

Later, Casaubon returns home and learns about Will's new "fixed occupation" (527). He immediately writes to his cousin and threatens to disown him, cutting him off financially if takes the "highly offensive" (528) job. Her husband's reaction makes Dorothea think about the "wrong" (529) way in which Julia was treated by her family. Casaubon's family fortune, she believes, is rightfully the property of Will. Should Casaubon die, she believes that she should split her husband's money with Will. She shares this idea with Casaubon. He is not pleased. He accuses her of interfering in matters which are beyond her "scope" (534). Dorothea is shocked into silence. Worried about her husband's temper and his health, she says nothing. When Will responds to his cousin's letter the following day, he ignores Casaubon's attempted "veto" (535): He will take the editor job.

Chettam and Mr. and Mrs. Cadwallader talk about Arthur's ambitions in "Middlemarch politics" (539). Arthur believes in the Reform agenda and plans to run for office. They all believe this is a bad idea. Arthur, they say, will be betraying his own social class by pursuing political reform. The attempt will only end in embarrassment, they are certain, especially as rival newspapers are claiming that Arthur is a stingy landlord who refuses to perform the necessary repairs to his renters' houses. Stories about his "stinginess" (544) have been published in The Trumpet, a rival newspaper. According to The Trumpet, Arthur is a hypocrite. Arthur joins the meeting and ignores the others' attempts to dissuade him from running for office.

Chettam approaches Dorothea, hoping that she can convince her uncle to improve his renters' living conditions. Dorothea calls at Tipton Grange and speaks to her uncle about re-hiring Caleb Garth to handle the "management" (552) of the rented properties and the estate. Arthur, claiming that Chettam is "a little hasty" (553), does not want to give a definitive answer and he is soon called away to deal with a renter's problem.

Will is still living at Tipton Grange. He talks to Dorothea, telling her that he has been "forbidden" (555) from visiting the Casaubon house by her husband. Dorothea feels "wretched" (556). She is resigned to her depressed state of existence. Elsewhere, Arthur visits an alcoholic tenant named Dagely, whose son poaches rabbits which belong to the estate. Dagely, who is drunk, calls Arthur a hypocrite, much to Arthur's surprise. Arthur is shocked that his tenants do not like him and he leaves.

Caleb Garth receives a job proposal for "the management of the family estates" (571) of both Brooke and Chettam's families. The money from such a job would greatly improve the Garth family's financial situation, meaning that Mary could "stay and help [her] mother" (572) at home rather than moving away to become a schoolteacher. When Farebrother calls on the family, he brings news from Fred. According to Farebrother, Fred is deeply "miserable" (575) that Featherstone's change of mind has left him unable to repay the money he owes. Mr. Garth tells Farebrother about the job offer. He also mentions the story, relayed from Mary, about Featherstone wanting "to burn one of the wills" (578). However, he asks Farebrother not to share this with Fred. When Farebrother leaves, he thinks about Mary. Farebrother has romantic feelings toward Mary but he believes that he is too poor to ever marry her. Caleb Garth discusses an idea with his wife, in which he recruits Fred to help him with the land management as a way to assuage his guilt; the job "might be the making of him into a useful man" (583). However, he knows that the Vincy family would approve. They agree not to offer the job to Fred just yet.

Joshua Rigg, now using the name Featherstone, lives at Stone Court. He is "sleek, neat, and cool as the frog he [resembles]" (587). His father is an alcoholic named John Raffles, who demands money. He tells Joshua that the money will be spent on Joshua's mother. However, Joshua knows that his father is an abusive man. He sends his father away, telling him never to return. He already pays his mother a "monthly allowance" (590) and he will not pay his father anymore. To get rid of the drunken man faster, Joshua hands him a coin and tops up his flask of brandy. Trying to steady the old man's brandy flask in its holder, he takes "a folded paper" (591) from his desk. The paper happens to be a letter written by Bulstrode to Joshua. The letter contains information about a family secret.

Casaubon is "haunted" (594) by the idea that he will never finish his book. He arranges a meeting with Lydgate to talk about his health. While waiting, he speculates on the relationship between his wife and his cousin. He worries that Will may "persuade her to marry him" (600) in the event of Casaubon's death. Casaubon resolves to find a way to stop this happening. Lydgate arrives and, at Casaubon's request, gives a frank and honest diagnosis of his health. Lydgate repeats his earlier diagnosis: saving some terrible event, Casaubon likely has at least several years of "tolerably comfortable life" (604) before his death. Lydgate departs. Though she was not in the meeting, Dorothea can guess the reason for the doctor's visit. Casaubon rebuffs her attempts to comfort him with "unresponsive hardness" (606). He is too proud for her pity. His attitude infuriates Dorothea but a few kind words that evening are enough to calm her fury. As her anger ebbs away, she feels guilty for nearly exploding and possibly causing harm to her husband.