Mr. Bulstrode and Raffles

Grayscale illustration of two men sitting at a dining table with a bottle of drink. One is older and holds a cane, the other reaches for his glass.

This illustration depicts the pivotal confrontation between Nicholas Bulstrode and John Raffles, highlighting Mr. Raffles role as a blackmailer threatening to expose Mr. Bulstrode's shameful past. It signifies the unraveling of Mr. Bulstrode’s carefully constructed, pious facade and the profound moral compromises he makes to protect his secrets. "As I have little time to spare, Mr. Raffles, said the banker, who could hardly do more than sip his tea and break his toast without eating it, 'I shall be obliged if you will mention at once the ground on which you have wishes to come meet with me'" (Book 6, Chapter 53).

Taylor, William Ladd (1854-1926)

George Eliot Archive , edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org

1883

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Taylor, William Ladd (1854-1926), Mr. Bulstrode and Raffles, George Eliot Illustrations Gallery, George Eliot Archive , edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/83403