Rufus Lyon encounters Annette Ledru in distress

Grayscale illustration of a woman sitting in brush while a man in a coat and top hat holding a walking stick leans over to talk to her.

Annette Ledru is sitting on a riverbank, holding her infant daughter, Esther. She is in deep distress, dying of hunger, and begs Rufus Lyon for help. The scene establishes Esther's true parentage and underscores Rufus Lyon's compassion (Chapter 6).

Merrill, Frank T. (1848-1923)

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

1894

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Merrill, Frank T. (1848-1923), Rufus Lyon encounters Annette Ledru in distress, 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/83559