At the end of the meeting at the governers hall, Reverend Dimmsdale sticks up for Hester and Pearl, winning the men over for her case. As long as nothing else comes up.
The next chapter talks about Roger Chillingworth and his relationship with Reverand Dismmsdale. Chillingworth becomes Dimmesdales physician when Dimmesdale gets really sick. For a while hes beeen fasting and has been really pale and sickly, he even frequently cluthes his chest as if he has severe heart pain. Eventually they form a friendship in which they share a lot with each other but the problem is that Chillingworth senses something about the Reverand that is hidden and he cant seem to figure it out.
Because he can't find a cure and wants to research Dimmesdale deeper, the town leadership urges the two to move in together.
The two move into a widows house near the cemetary, Dimmesdales room faces the cemetary and has tapestries of biblical scenes while Chillingworths room contains a laboratory.
While living with him Roger infers that Reverand Dimmesdales problems were not from physical sickness but an inner torture of his soul.