Featherstone's funeral attracts much attention and a "chill wind" (458) blows through Middlemarch. According to his instructions, each of his relatives has a role to play in the "little drama" (460) of his funeral. Mr. Cadwallader has been asked to officiate the funeral, so he visits Casaubon. Also present are Chettam, Celia, and Dorothea. They watch the "wonderfully mixed" (464) funeral procession from a window in the house, observing the upper-, middle-, and working-class members of society paying their respects.

Arthur arrives and notices that the "silent" (466) Casaubon is not watching the funeral. He invites Casaubon to watch from the window. They see Will outside and Arthur mentions that Will is staying at Tipton Grange. When Arthur mentions that the "very nice young fellow" (467) would like to visit, Dorothea turns pale. She knows that her husband will be annoyed at the mention of Will's name. She worries that Casaubon will mistakenly believe that she asked her uncle to mention Will to her husband.

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.