Middlemarch

The Needy Exiles

The poorer, excluded Featherstone relations—including Brother Jonah, Sister Martha, and other “needy exiles”—hold a different view of the will. They argue Peter may surprise them with bequests, note the risk of forged or disputed wills that could benefit non-relatives, and stress that blood relations should be on the premises to watch over Peter’s assets and each other to prevent unfair claims or theft while he is helpless.

Open House at Stone Court

Stone Court sees near-constant comings and goings of Featherstone relatives. Mary Garth, who manages the household, is tasked with carrying messages to Peter (who refuses to see most visitors) and turning them away, and consults Mrs. Vincy about feeding the influx of guests, who advises generous hosting while saving the best provisions for the upcoming funeral.

Brother Jonah in the Kitchen-Corner

Brother Jonah, a relative who has fallen on hard times, chooses to stay in Stone Court’s kitchen corner rather than sit with his brother Solomon. He occupies a comfortable arm-chair within sight of constant food, jokes with the maidservants, watches Mary Garth with cold suspicion, and states he will not leave the premises while Peter is alive.

Young Cranch and Mary Garth

Young Cranch, nephew of Sister Martha (Mrs. Cranch) from the Chalky Flats, comes to Stone Court to represent his mother and watch Brother Jonah. He mostly sits in the kitchen, squinting at Mary Garth in a way that unsettles her. When Mary complains to Fred Vincy, he visits to observe the scene, but is overwhelmed by the four pairs of eyes watching him and flees in laughter, prompting Jonah to mock Fred’s delicate, refined appearance.

Pairs of Eyes on the Watch

Pairs of watchful eyes are present throughout Stone Court. In the wainscoted parlor, Solomon and Mrs. Waule (Jane Featherstone) spend hours observing Mary Garth, whom they suspect of hiding information about Peter’s affairs, and occasionally put on a performative, half-hearted show of grief over being barred from Peter’s room.

The Funereal Figures

Solomon and Mrs. Waule, dressed in dark, half-mourning attire, ignore Peter’s explicit orders barring them from his bedroom and enter the room. They find Peter propped up in bed with Mrs. Vincy (dressed in bright pink) and Fred Vincy lolling in a large chair nearby.

Old Featherstone’s Rage

Peter Featherstone flies into a rage at the sight of Solomon and Mrs. Waule, grabbing his gold-headed stick to wave them out of his room. He rebuffs their attempts to discuss his will and property, tells them to leave and never return, and states he has already finalized his will.

Solomon and Jane’s Dismissal

After being dismissed by Peter, Solomon and Mrs. Waule leave but state they will continue to perform their familial duty by staying at Stone Court daily. They contrast their own humble, patient approach to the more impulsive, unruly behavior of other relatives like Brother Jonah.

Gossip and Speculation

Visitors to Stone Court gossip and speculate extensively about Peter’s will and estate. Local neighbors often sympathize with the Featherstone family’s stance against the Vincys, and some female visitors share stories of being cut out of wills by ungrateful elderly relatives. When Mary Garth enters a room, conversation stops as all eyes turn to her as a possible legatee, while younger male relatives see her as a potential prize given the uncertainty of the will.

Mr. Borthrop Trumbull

Mr. Borthrop Trumbull, a wealthy, prominent local auctioneer and Peter Featherstone’s second cousin, is a frequent visitor to Stone Court. He sees himself as a man of exceptional merit and practical knowledge, corrects his own speech to use refined phrasing, and even converses with Jonah and young Cranch in the kitchen, confident he has impressed them with his expertise and standing as a public figure.

CHAPITRE XXXII.

Mr. Borthrop Trumbull, the pompous auctioneer, visits the parlor after being granted the exceptional privilege of seeing the dying old Featherstone, where he requests ham and ale from Miss Garth and then deliberately evades the questions of Mrs. Waule and Solomon about the contents of Featherstone’s will, parading his eloquence and self-importance by reading aloud from a copy of “Anne of Geierstein” and boasting of his two hundred calf-bound volumes and collection of paintings. When Mary Garth re-enters the room, Trumbull praises her competence at mixing medicine and hints that Featherstone has remembered her handsomely, leading Solomon, after Trumbull’s departure, to confide to his sister Jane that he is certain the old man has left the proud young woman a substantial sum—an insinuation that wounds Mrs. Waule, who feels her own daughters are no less trustworthy.