Middlemarch Chapter 33

In which the steadfast and reflective Mary Garth keeps vigil by the aged and irascible Mr. Featherstone, confronting a final and troubling test of her resolve and principles amid the flickering shadows of his deathbed. The evening unfolds with a solemn quietude, revealing the old man’s restless grasp for control and Mary’s firm refusal to be swayed from her conscientious course.