Summary
Bulstrode watches over the dying Raffles, wrestling with a terrible internal conflict. While outwardly following Dr. Lydgate's medical orders, he secretly hopes for Raffles's death, which would free him from blackmail and scandal. When Mrs. Abel asks about giving brandy to the suffering patient—against Lydgate's strict orders—Bulstrode hesitates, then provides the key to the wine cellar. Raffles dies during the night. The next morning, Lydgate arrives to find his patient dead and notices something troubling about the circumstances, though he doesn't voice his suspicions. Meanwhile, Bulstrode offers Lydgate the thousand pounds he had previously refused, ostensibly out of generosity but actually to ensure the doctor's loyalty and silence. Lydgate, desperate for financial relief, accepts gratefully but feels uneasy about being indebted to Bulstrode. The chapter explores how people rationalize morally questionable actions—Bulstrode tells himself he's following orders while enabling circumstances that lead to death, and Lydgate accepts money that feels tainted but solves his immediate crisis. Both men are trapped by their circumstances and compromised by their choices. Eliot masterfully shows how good people can become complicit in wrongdoing through a series of small compromises, each seemingly justified in the moment but collectively creating a web of moral corruption.
Coming Up in Chapter 71
As news of Raffles's death spreads through Middlemarch, whispers begin to circulate about the circumstances. Lydgate's newfound financial stability comes with an unexpected price as the community starts to question his relationship with Bulstrode.
Share it with friends
An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
CHAPTER LXX. “Our deeds still travel with us from afar, And what we have been makes us what we are.” Bulstrode’s first object after Lydgate had left Stone Court was to examine Raffles’s pockets, which he imagined were sure to carry signs in the shape of hotel-bills of the places he had stopped in, if he had not told the truth in saying that he had come straight from Liverpool because he was ill and had no money. There were various bills crammed into his pocketbook, but none of a later date than Christmas at any other place, except one, which bore date that morning. This was crumpled up with a hand-bill about a horse-fair in one of his tail-pockets, and represented the cost of three days’ stay at an inn at Bilkley, where the fair was held—a town at least forty miles from Middlemarch. The bill was heavy, and since Raffles had no luggage with him, it seemed probable that he had left his portmanteau behind in payment, in order to save money for his travelling fare; for his purse was empty, and he had only a couple of sixpences and some loose pence in his pockets. Bulstrode gathered a sense of safety from these indications that Raffles had really kept at a distance from Middlemarch since his memorable visit at Christmas. At a distance and among people who were strangers to Bulstrode, what satisfaction could there be to Raffles’s tormenting, self-magnifying vein in telling old scandalous stories about a Middlemarch banker? And what harm if he did talk? The chief point now was to keep watch over him as long as there was any danger of that intelligible raving, that unaccountable impulse to tell, which seemed to have acted towards Caleb Garth; and Bulstrode felt much anxiety lest some such impulse should come over him at the sight of Lydgate. He sat up alone with him through the night, only ordering the housekeeper to lie down in her clothes, so as to be ready when he called her, alleging his own indisposition to sleep, and his anxiety to carry out the doctor’s orders. He did carry them out faithfully, although Raffles was incessantly asking for brandy, and declaring that he was sinking away—that the earth was sinking away from under him. He was restless and sleepless, but still quailing and manageable. On the offer of the food ordered by Lydgate, which he refused, and the denial of other things which he demanded, he seemed to concentrate all his terror on Bulstrode, imploringly deprecating his anger, his revenge on him by starvation, and declaring with strong oaths that he had never told any mortal a word against him. Even this Bulstrode felt that he would not have liked Lydgate to hear; but a more alarming sign of fitful alternation in his delirium was, that in-the morning twilight Raffles suddenly seemed to imagine a doctor present, addressing him and declaring that Bulstrode wanted to starve him to death out of...
Master this chapter. Complete your experience
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Small Compromises
The process by which good people become corrupted through a series of small, individually justifiable compromises that collectively cross major moral boundaries.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to spot the gradual erosion of principles through small, seemingly justified decisions.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you tell yourself 'just this once' or 'it's complicated'—those phrases often signal the beginning of a compromise slope.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Blackmail
Using someone's secrets or shameful past to control them, usually for money or favors. In Victorian times, reputation was everything - a scandal could destroy a person's social standing and business completely.
Modern Usage:
We see this in workplace harassment, revenge porn, or when someone threatens to expose embarrassing information unless you do what they want.
Moral compromise
When someone gradually abandons their principles through small, seemingly justified decisions. Each choice feels reasonable in the moment, but together they lead to serious wrongdoing.
Modern Usage:
Like when someone starts with small lies on their resume, then bigger ones, until they're completely fabricating their qualifications.
Rationalization
Creating logical-sounding reasons to justify doing something you know is wrong. People tell themselves stories to avoid feeling guilty about their actions.
Modern Usage:
When someone says they're 'borrowing' money from petty cash they plan to pay back, knowing they probably won't.
Complicity
Being involved in wrongdoing, even if you're not the main person doing it. Sometimes people become complicit by staying silent or accepting benefits from bad actions.
Modern Usage:
Like knowing your company is cheating customers but staying quiet because you need the job.
Portmanteau
A large traveling bag or suitcase, common in the 1800s when people traveled by horse and carriage. Having luggage meant you had money and status.
Modern Usage:
Today it would be like having expensive luggage or a nice car - a sign of your financial situation.
Medical ethics
The moral principles that guide how doctors should treat patients. Even in the 1800s, there were understood rules about doing no harm and following proper treatment.
Modern Usage:
We still debate these issues today with end-of-life care, patient consent, and whether doctors should ever bend rules.
Characters in This Chapter
Bulstrode
Morally compromised antagonist
He searches Raffles's belongings hoping to find evidence of his movements, then makes the fatal decision to give Mrs. Abel access to brandy against doctor's orders. He tells himself he's being merciful while secretly hoping Raffles will die.
Modern Equivalent:
The corrupt politician who creates plausible deniability while enabling harmful outcomes
Raffles
Dying blackmailer
Though dying and mostly unconscious, his very existence threatens Bulstrode's reputation. His death would solve Bulstrode's problems, making his suffering a source of both guilt and hope for his tormentor.
Modern Equivalent:
The ex-partner who knows where all the bodies are buried
Lydgate
Unwitting accomplice
He gives clear medical orders to keep Raffles away from alcohol, then returns to find his patient dead under suspicious circumstances. His desperate need for money makes him accept Bulstrode's generous offer despite his uneasiness.
Modern Equivalent:
The struggling professional who takes money from a questionable source because they're drowning in debt
Mrs. Abel
Innocent instrument
The housekeeper who asks Bulstrode about giving brandy to the suffering patient. She follows what she believes are her employer's wishes, unknowingly becoming part of Raffles's death.
Modern Equivalent:
The employee who follows orders without knowing they're part of something wrong
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Our deeds still travel with us from afar, And what we have been makes us what we are."
Context: The chapter's opening epigraph, setting up the theme of past actions haunting the present
This perfectly captures how Bulstrode's past crimes with Raffles continue to shape his present choices. Our history doesn't just disappear - it becomes part of who we are and influences every decision we make going forward.
In Today's Words:
Your past always catches up with you, and who you were shapes who you become.
"He had not told the truth in saying that he had come straight from Liverpool because he was ill and had no money."
Context: Bulstrode examining Raffles's belongings to verify his story
Even dying, Raffles remains a manipulator and liar. This shows how Bulstrode must constantly verify everything about his blackmailer, never able to trust even basic facts. It reveals the exhausting paranoia of living under threat.
In Today's Words:
He was lying about coming straight here broke and sick.
"What satisfaction could there be to Raffles's tormenting, self-magnifying vein in telling old scandalous stories?"
Context: Bulstrode reasoning that Raffles wouldn't have spread stories while away from Middlemarch
This reveals how well Bulstrode understands his tormentor - Raffles enjoys the power and attention that comes from having dangerous secrets. The blackmail isn't just about money; it's about the psychological control and sense of importance it gives Raffles.
In Today's Words:
What's the point of having dirt on someone if there's no one around to impress with it?
Thematic Threads
Moral Corruption
In This Chapter
Bulstrode enables Raffles's death through passive action while maintaining plausible deniability
Development
Escalated from earlier financial corruption to potential complicity in death
In Your Life:
You might find yourself making small ethical compromises at work that gradually normalize bigger violations.
Financial Desperation
In This Chapter
Lydgate accepts Bulstrode's money despite moral qualms because of his crushing debt
Development
His financial crisis has progressively forced more compromising choices
In Your Life:
Financial pressure can make you accept help or opportunities that compromise your values or independence.
Rationalization
In This Chapter
Both men construct elaborate mental justifications for morally questionable actions
Development
Building on earlier patterns of self-deception throughout the novel
In Your Life:
You might catch yourself creating complex explanations for choices you know aren't quite right.
Power Dynamics
In This Chapter
Bulstrode uses financial leverage to secure Lydgate's silence and complicity
Development
His use of wealth as control has become more desperate and direct
In Your Life:
You might experience how financial dependence can silence your voice or compromise your choices.
Professional Ethics
In This Chapter
Lydgate's medical judgment becomes clouded by financial obligation to his benefactor
Development
His professional integrity has been gradually eroded by personal pressures
In Your Life:
Your professional standards might bend when personal relationships or financial needs create conflicts of interest.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What specific actions does Bulstrode take (or not take) that contribute to Raffles's death, and how does he justify each one to himself?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Lydgate accept Bulstrode's money despite his earlier refusal, and what does this reveal about how desperate circumstances affect our decision-making?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this pattern of 'small compromises leading to big problems' in modern workplaces, relationships, or politics?
application • medium - 4
If you were Lydgate's friend and knew about both his financial troubles and Bulstrode's reputation, how would you advise him about accepting the money?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter suggest about how good people become complicit in wrongdoing, and what systems could prevent this moral erosion?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Draw Your Compromise Map
Think of an area in your life where you've been making small compromises (work ethics, parenting rules, spending habits, relationship boundaries). Draw a simple map showing: where you started, each compromise you made, what you told yourself to justify it, and where you are now. Then identify the first warning sign you should have heeded.
Consider:
- •Focus on one specific area rather than trying to cover everything
- •Be honest about your rationalizations - we all have them
- •Look for the pattern, not just the individual decisions
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you caught yourself making a compromise that didn't feel right. What stopped you from continuing down that path, or what would you do differently if you could go back?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 71: The Scandal Spreads and Reputations Fall
As the story unfolds, you'll explore gossip transforms from whisper to weapon in small communities, while uncovering public perception often matters more than legal proof. These lessons connect the classic to contemporary challenges we all face.