Volume 5 Summary

After a brief digression on whiskers, Tristram looks at the reactions to his brother's death. Tristram's father, as usual, takes it philosophically, but Suzanne runs to the kitchen most upset. A moment later, Tristram's mother overhears the word wife when she walks past the parlor door. She presumes that Toby and Tristram's father are talking about her, and she stays by the door to listen.

Tristram promises to come back to this scene before moving to the kitchen. In the kitchen, Suzanne relays the news about Bobby's death to Trim, Obadiah, the cook and Jonathan the coachman. Trim is not overly upset, but seeing Suzanne's feelings, he begins to feel sorry. At this point, as Tristram states, Trim goes on a harangue about Bobby's death. In the middle of the speech, Tristram returns to his mother who heard nothing that she expected and...